<g^y. XL " LSI 

=£MJ/ \.\a-\yS 

^e^yity/tt '^=M. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



THE 

CHRISTIAN'S GUIDE 

AND 

GUARDIAN: 

COMPRISING 

A CLEAR, FULL AND LUMINOUS EXHIBITION 

or THE 

ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES AND PRECEPTS 

OF THE 

CHRISTIAN RELIGION: 

AND MORE ESPECIALLY ADAPTED TO AID THE SINCERE 

INQUIRER, OBVIATE OBJECTIONS AND CONFIRM 

AND ENCOURAGE THE BELIEVER THROUGH 

ALL THE VARIED SCENES, TRIALS AND 

DIFFICULTIES OF HI'S PERIOD OP 

PROBATION FOR ETERNITY. 



By WILLIAM SANDERS. 



" Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. 1 ' 
Isaiah i. 18. 

" Search the Scriptures." John r. 39. - 

" Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my 
path." Psalm cxix. 105. 



CARLISLE: 

«EO, FLEMING, PRINTER, 



1833. 



m 
** 



<&& 



Entered, according to act of Congress, on the 
16th of August, 1833, by William Sanders, in the 
Clerk's office of the Eartern District of Penn'a. 



v^JT: 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



It would appear to be a universal dictate of rea- 
son, that there are some things, which, from their 
natural and general adaptation to human wants and 
woes of various kinds, should, therefore, be uni- 
versally known.- And what is said of one thing, in 
any general bearing, might, doubtless, be said with 
equal propriety of any other thing, in regard to the 
purpose for which it is apparently designed: name- 
ly — that this or that thing, or whatever it may be — 
is a proper supply for a certain want, or specifick 
for a spreading disease, or means adapted to the 
attainment of some important end. And who would 
not recommend it — apply it, or endeavor to enforce 
its adoption? 

And if so, with regard to the present life; — how 
much more so, with regard to the life to come? And 
if we should appeal to the Christian-— whether the 
Christian religion is not, in his estimation, a sure 
and efficacious remedy, for every spiritual want 
and woe, would he not reply in the affirmative? 
And should he not second every well-directed effort 
to propagate it — where it is not hwwn — to inculcate 
a2 



4 ADVERTISEMENT. 

it — where it is known — and to recommend it by pre- 
cept and example, by all the means with which he 
is favored — as an instrument in the hands of the 
Lord — to all with whom he has intercourse ? And 
\s it not evident, that even in this highly favored 
country, there is " much land to be possessed 5 ' — 
much to engage the head, and the heart, and the 
hands of every Christian — much moral and spiritual 
darkness of the most painful and appalling charac- 
ter. And are we not compelled to exclaim, 

"Dark, dark, dark, I still must say, 
Amidst the blaze of gospel day ?" 

And hence it would appear, that a work of an un- 
exceptionable character, containing the essentials 
of the Christian religion, and embracing as much 
as possible in a small compass, and alike adapted to 
Christians of different evangelical denominations, 
and as guarded as possible, in all its general heads 
and details, would be likely to commend itself to 
the Christian world !. and to commend itself, as 
adapted to promote the spiritual and eternal wel- 
fare of the human family! It is, however, the de- 
sign and determination of the author, to endeavor, 
by this means, the legitimate application of the aw- 
fully responsible power of the press, to present to 
the reader, a correct view of the ground, which 

IB COMMON TO ALL EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS ! 



ADVERTISEMENT. £ 

It may not be improper for him to add, that lie has 
studied this unutterably important subject, for many 
years, with the utmost intensity; that his residence, 
at different times, in different sections of the Union, 
and with Christians of different denominations, has 
afforded him ample opportunities of becoming* ac- 
quainted, most familiarly, with their respective per 
culiarities; and that he has repeatedly and most 
solemnly enjoined upon himself, by all means, at 
all times, and in all places — to inculcate concord, 
mutual forbearance, a zeal according to knowledge, 
and, in a word: "the unity of the Spirit in the bonds 
of peace." And he can and does appeal to all with 
whom he is acquainted, and rnore especially to, 
those with whom he has resided, whether they can- 
not bear witness to the truth of this most solemn 
affirmation ? 

That a work intended for various classes of 
readers, should be distinguished for its plainness 
and simplicity, and general style of adaptation, is 
universally acknowledged: and that it should not 
be more critical than is strictly necessary for eluci- 
dation) appears to be no less obvious. How far the 
writer has succeeded in these respects, he leaves 
to the public to decide. It has been his endeavor, 
as far as possible, to meet the wants, and views, and 
wishes of the generality of readers. He has also 
endeavored to render the work as interesting as 
A3 



6 ADVERTISEMENT. 

possible, to deeply imbue it with the language of 
the sacred scriptures, and to interweave experi- 
mental and practical remarks and inferences, and 
appeals to the heart and life of the reader, in a 
greater or less degree, with all the intellectual* 
doctrinal and preceptive divisions of the work. 
This course, he has presumed, would be most ac- 
ceptable to the far greater proportion of his readers, 
whose daily avocations, and comparatively little 
time for reading, dispose them to prefer a book 
which comprises a considerable variety in. a small 
compass. 

"With regard to the learned and critical 'reader, 
whose means and opportunities for mental, and 
moral, and scriptural instruction and improvement 
are ample, he does not presume to dictate — he is 
willing to sit at his feet for information. He has 
only to add, that ii some parts of the work should 
appear to the reader to be redundant, and others 
defective, his only apology is, the great difficulty of 
duly adjusting a variety of parts, in so small a space, 
to each other. With this brief exposition, he pre- 
sents the work to the candid and imp&rtial consid?* 
eration of the reader, 

W, SANDERS. 

P. S. — It would appear, that there are many 
things in & directory for a Christian, that would, 



ADVERTISEMENT, 7 

under the divine blessing, prove to bo a gtrid* to afl 
who would become Christians/ And this is one of 
the most important objects of this work. With re- 
gard to the peculiar experience of a Christian, in 
the all comprehensive import of the expression, it 
will not be expected, that this little work should 
^comprise much in detail. W. 8. 



A4 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Advertisement: Object stated: appeal. 

Introduction; General principles: the ground-work 
of all human ixauiRY: references, illustrations. 

i'rrfutory remarks: Characteristicks of the subject^ 
modes and means of adaptation. 

i'iiajder 1st; The Christian's Guide: sure grousa 
— direction — encouragement — consolation. 

diopter 2c?.- The Christian's Guardian: doubts re- 
moved: difficulties overcome: every enemy con- 
quered. 

t'lt/pter 3d: A concise view of the evidences of tha 
Christian religion: external and internal eviden- 
< cs: irrationality of infidel objections. 

4 'hapter 4ih; Exposition of the great and essential 
doctrines and precepts of the Christian religion: 
the holy and happy condition of Adam and Evo 
in paradise: their fall: consequences: important 
consideration: the Law and Gospel considered: 
the covenants of works and the covijtaht op 
© race : the Gospel plait oi f ALYATIOX : the 
Christian portrait. 

4& 



10 TABLE OP CONTENTS. 

Chapter 5th: The groundwork of vice and error. 
the fallacy and soul-deception of infidelity, ex- 
empliiied from reason and scripture. • 

Chapter 6th: Distinguished witnesses to the truth, 
and excellency, and power of the Christian reli- 
gion: sketches of celebrated characters. 

Chapter 7th: The Parental character of the Divine 
government: the harmony of the Divine dispell* 
sations: the adaptation of Divine means to Divine 
ends: and the equity and justice of all the Divine 
retributions. 

Chapter 8th: Directions for sincere inquirers: gen- 
eral address: hinderances portrayed: grounds for 
encouragement: general instructions for growth 
in grace and knowledge. 

Chapter 9th: Christian unity: grounds of Christian 
unity: every real evil avoided/ — every real good 
attained/ — harmony and love, peace and joy!— r 
increase of grace here! — augmentation of glory 
hereafter! 

Chapter 10th: Christian duties, privileges and res- 
ponsibility: faith and works: the prayer of faith: 
illustration — verification: the Divine signature! 

Chapter 11th: Probation for Eternity: all-important 
contrasts; the most serious considerations. 

Chapter 12th: The Christian's triumph— life-— death 
-^•immortality! 



INTRODUCTION. 



In this eventful era of the world— an era produc- 
tive of great and rapid changes, inventions and im- 
provements, in which "many run to and fro, and 
knowledge is increased;" in such an era, it must be 
obvious, that no important step should be taken, 
without the greatest circumspection; and as, among 
the multiplicity of objects presented to the public 
consideration, books, in their multifarious forms, 
and almost endless yariety, and in great profusion, 
are continually teeming from the press; it is certain- 
ly most reasonable, and what prudence demands 
and requires, to pause at the threshhold of whatever 
is nevj and claims special attention . What are its 
claims? Does it, indeed, deserve and require spe- 

* The reader is referred to appendix A and B, 
as illustrative of the general principles laid down\ 
and which should, therefore, be read in connexion 
with the introduction. He is also particularly re- 
quested to view the work, as much as possible, in 
the due connexion of its parts. This request is in- 
duced by the writer, from a regard to, and frequent 
review of the complex character of the work. 

See also, "the one point," appendix C. 



12 INTRODFCTION. 

cial attention? "The world is,*' proverbially speak- 
ing, "full of books." How important, then, to 
make a good selection! To throw away money 
which might be well appropriated, is highly culpa- 
ble; but to throw away or misemploy time — which 
is "all price beyond" — is more than culpable, in 
the absolute sense of the expression — it wants a 
xame! 

What, then, is the character of the work, now, 
for the first time, presented to the public tribunal? 
It it not, doubtless, the province of the author, to 
say more than he has already advanced, as an anti- 
cipated reply to this important question: and to say 
less might be justly deemed unsatisfactory. But if 
it were necessary or proper, ^and he leaves it to 
the public to decide,) to say anything more, he 
would then say, that he would "not write one line, 
which, dying, he could wish to blot." He pro- 
ceeds, therefore, to unfold to the reader, the order 
and outlines of his subject. 

That there are fixed and immutable princi- 
ples, alike adapted to the private, social and pub- 
lic relations of families, neighborhoods and nations, 
to the human family, should not admit of doubt 
for a moment. Our all-wise and beneficent Crea- 
tor "has not left himself without witness;" has not 
been unmindful, is not and cannot be unmindful of 



INTRODUCTION. IS 

whatever relates to the temporal, spiritual and 
eternal welfare of his creatures. The relation im- 
plies so much: Creator — creatures. " For in him 
we live, and move, and have our being." It fol- 
lows, therefore, that there is adequate provision for 
all the legitimate wants, for whatever is necessary 
and proper, for the mental and moral character and 
capacity of every human being. Here, then, we 
have a firm foundation! And by a parity of rea- 
son, whatever is not built upon this foundation is 
delusive, false or self-deceptive, and may be aptly 
compared to the " house built upon the sand," and 
the materials to • : wood, hay and stubble." But it 
may be asked, "how can you prove that there are 
fixed and immutable principles?" We would an- 
swer this question by another, "how do you know 
that it is light when the sun shines upon you? Or, 
how do you know that it is dark when you cannot 
see any object? Is not either self-evident? and 
does not that, whatever it may be, which is self- 
evident, necessarily imply a fixed and immutabe 
principle? and the entire routine of self-evident 
truths, necessarily imply fixed and immutable prin- 
ciples? This is evidently incontrovertable. And 
does it not follow, that to diverge from this position 
— to go beyond this boundary, is to go, at once, to 
a certain degree at least, into the regions pf seep- 



14 INTROBUfTIOH, 

ficiim^ There does not appear to be an/ alterna- 
tive, 

Hence, we infer that vo definition can m*ke a 
self-evident principle morb obvious than it is 
already ! It may or may not be defined, in 
cither case it is the same, incontrovertible ! And 
it is no less evident, that our not being able to com- 
prehend the nature, essence and property of light, 
xyr whatever is implied or involved in any other self- 
evident principle, should not be considered as a 
reason, (as it would certainly be contrary to rea- 
son,) for not believing it. And upon this ground 

We proceed in ALL THE DEPARTMENTS OF SCIENCE 1 . 

Should we not, therefore, proceed upon the same 
ground, bearing in mind the natural and necessary 
difference between different things; where subjects 
of the highest order are presented to our consider- 
ation. * 'Come now, and let us reason together, saith 
*he Lord." And it would appear, that it is no less 
important, as it has been often and justly remarked, 
that we should be careful to distinguish between 
what is beyond our reason, and what is contra- 
ry to our reason! Our all-wise Creator does 
not require us to make an unwise choice.* 

The "God of truth" does not, cannot require 

• See appendix A. 



INTRODUCTION, 15 

us to believe a lie. And if we do not believe from 
the light of evidence and conviction, how can we 
be influenced as rational creatures? A different or 
opposite course would be irrational in every point 
of view and in every sense of the expression. Hence 
we infer, that there is the same reason for our as- 
sent to subjects of the highest order, not implying 
anything contrary to our reason, that there is 
for our assent to the principles of any science which 
we cannot comprehend, but which is attested by 
facts which we cannot reasonably deny, when the 
evidence for the same, in kind and degree, is alike 
unexceptionable. 

Having taken what appears to us to be a clear and 
satisfactory view of what we conceive we have 
reasonably termed tixed and immutable princi- 
ples; we shall proceed, without further delay, to 
consider the greatest of all subjects that can be 
presented to the human mind— THE CHRISTIAN 
RELIGION! 

This all-important subject, we shall endeavor 
to view in the two-fold light of reason and revela- 
tion, in humble and prayerful dependence upon 
the " Father of lights, with whom is no variable- 
ness, neither shadow of turning." Religion is 
termed, in the sacred volume, our reasonable serviced 
and, therefore, the Author of our holy religion re- 



16 INTRODUCTION. 

quires a reasonable belief. And if we do not thus 
believe, "surely we shall not be established/" But 
what are we required to believe ? We return to the 
principles we have laid down, and reply, that we 
are not required to believe any thing contrary to 
our reason! But the question again recurs, or 
we are led to inquire: "what, then, are we required 
to believe?" We now reply, having as we trust, pre- 
pared the way, that we are to believe — that we are 
required to believe the revelation of God to us, be- 
cause it was confirmed and attested by signs and 
miracles, and the fulfilment of prophecies — by in- 
ternal and external evidences — by evidences more 
varied and numerous than the evidences of the gen- 
uineness and authenticity of any ancient or modern 
history — by evidences furnished by both sacred and 
profane writers, and by friends and enemies! And 
can we resist such an over-whelming torrent — such 
an array of evidences — from so many sources — all 
founded upon those principles which are adapted 
to our rational comprehension, and capacity for 
forming a judgment upon the subject presented to 
our consideration? If so, surely we should not be- 
lieve, though one were to rise from the dead! 

But it is not our intention, in this place, nor does 
it comport with the limits of a work, which is in- 
tended, in so many divisions — to be mullum inparvo 



INTRODUCTION. 17 

^-to go beyond the principles and outlines of a 
brief, but necessary introduction to our subject. * To 
exhibit correct principles, and lay a firm foun- 
dation, should be, and doubtless will be the aim of 
every "wise master-builder." The best way — the 
only proper way to the heart, is, most assuredly, 
through the AVENUE OF THE UNDERSTAN- 
DING!! 

* See chapter 5th. 

*(■ To those of our readers who may not have 
more than very briefly studied the evidences of the 
Christian religion, we would earnestly recommend 
Dr. Chalmers* Astronomical 'Discourses, and the 
article "Christianity," by the same author, in the 
"New Edinburg Encylopedia;" "Evidences of 
the Christian Religion/' by Dr. Alexander, and 
Bishop Mcllvaine's lectures on the same subject. 



PREFATORY REMARKS. 



1st. The nature and character of the "Christian's 
Guide and Guardian," will be more and more clear- 
ly developed in the due prosecution of the subject. 

2d. In this age of the world, it would appear, 
that something more is wanting than what is implied 
in any treatice upon the peculiar exercises of a Chris* 
tian! An active Christian has much to meet — to 
hear— to conflict with— from WITHOUT— FROM 
VARIOUS SOURCES! For all of which he should 
be prepared — should be furnished, from a knowl- 
edge of the world — from Ihe armory of reason — 
from the rich and inexhaustable treasury of revela-^ 
tion! This is, emphatically, THE AGE OF AC- 
TION!— not of QUIESCENCE! Every Christian 
has something to do — has much to do! But he need 
not go from one extreme to another! He need not 
neglect the closet — the Holy Bible — the family al- 
tar! because he must be actively and perseveringly 
engaged in every good word and work. 

3d. In the connexion of sentences, paragraphs, 
&.c. it has been deemed prudential to exchange one 
word for another, or the present tense for the past 
Bl 



30 PREFATORY^ REMARKS. 

&c. without riolating the sense, as a means of adap- 
tation to that numerous class of readers who have 
not enjoyeeT early advantages, and whose means* for 
improvement are comparatively circumscribed. 

4th. As some parts are more argumentative and 
critical than others, that all may have "their portion 
©f meat in due season;" so the humble Christian 
and sincere penitent, are more particularly directed 
to the 1st, 2d, 4th, 8th and following chapters, which 
are chiefly of an experimental and practical charac- 
ter. It is hoped, however, that the whole may be pe- 
rused to advantage by every class of readers. 

Carlisle, August 16tb> 1833. 



THE 

CHRISTIANS 
©UIDE AND GUARDIAN. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE CHRISTIAN'S GUIDE. 

** Who will show us any good V 9 is the languag® 
of "many" " Lord, lift thou up the light of thy 
countenance upon us," is the language of compara- 
tively few. A most lamentable fact! So many 
throng the downward road — so many "follow the 
multitude to doevil"--so many are eagerly pursuing 
ideal pleasures, misnamed honors, and riches that 
perish in the using! 

4 'Thus airy pleasure dances in our eyes, 

And paints false images in fair disguise! 

To allure our souls, till, just within its armi, — 

The pleasure flies, and all its painted charms 1 . — 

Flees quick away from the pursuing sight — 

Till lost in shades, and mingled with the night." 

But wh« is the Christian's Guide? To whom 



22 christian's guide 

shall the Christian look — mall things — at all times 
— in all places — whether young, or middle-aged, or 
in the declivity of life? To whom shall he look? 
To the "God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" 
— to his "Heavenly Father 1 * — to whom he comes 
as "to a faithful Creator," preserver, promiser and 
giver of all good! And what is his language? "I 
will look to the Lord — to the God of my salvation. 
My God will hear me." Thou art "my Lord and 
my God" — "the guide of my youth" — "the lifter 
up of my head" — "the strength of my heart, and 
my portion forever!" 

And what is the response? "The Lord's portion 
is his people." How "happy," then, "are the 
people who are in such a case;" yea, how " happy 
are the people, whose God is the Lord!" And the 
Christian may, indeed, encourage himself in the 
Lord his God. 

" Then let my soul march boldly on — 
Press forward to the heavenly gate!" 

"Press forward," and not, like Lot's wife, look be- 
hind! — press forward — "press towards the mark, 
for the prize of his high calling, of God in Christ 
Jesus." 

But a very important question is now presented 
for our consideration: How will the Lord guide 
thb Chbistian? 

B2 



CHRISTIANAS GUIDE. 23 

"How shall a young* immortal learn — «• 
This great — this infinite concern — 
Who my Almighty maker is, 
And what the way this God to please ?" 

And here we are not left to conjecture: the Lord 
will guide his people* by his Holy Spirit: the 
Spirit of truth will guide then into all truth. "Thou 
shalt guide me with thy counsel," is the language 
of one who was himself divinely taught; and he,, 
therefore, prayed for instruction: "Cause me to 
know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up 
my soul unto thee."' And the Lord did cause him 
to know the way in which he should walk.. Hi& 
word became a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto 
his path." So, therefore, should every Christian^ 
pray— ^p ray for the teaching of the Holy Spirit—* 
pray, in the language of the Psalmist, "Open thou 
mine eyes, that I may behold wonderous things out 
of thy law." And "the law of the Lord"— - the re* 
vektion of God toman — "is perfect — converting 
the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making* 
wise the simple." Hence the Psalmist loved the 
law of the Lord: "O how I love thy law! — it is my 
meditation all the day." And he could testify: 
"Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me 
wiser than [mine enemies: for they are ever with 
me. I have more understanding than all my teach- 
ers: for thy testimonies are my meditation." Hence 
B3 



24 

Christian's are referred "to the law and to the tes- 
timony;" for "if they," if their teachers, "speak 
not according to that word, it is because there is no 
light in them." For "the entrance of thy words," 
says the Psalmist, "giveth light} it giveth under- 
standing to the simple." 

"The Spirit breaths upon the word, 
And brings the truth to sights- 
Precepts and promises afford 
A sanctifying light." 

How different from all other teaching* Hence the 
language of the beloved apostle, addressed to the 
primitive Christians: "ye have an unction from the 
Holy One, and ye know all things " They knew 
all things that it was necessary for them to know.* 
And again: "the anointing which ye have received 
of him, abideth in you, and ye need not that any 
man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth 
you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie; and 
even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. " 
Here, then, we have, beyond the possibility of a 
truly rational or scriptural doubt, a sube, safe, tjn. 

ERUIFG GUIDE. 

Christian! — will you not — do you not daily read 
the sacred scriptures, in humble and prayerful de- 
pendance upon Divine teaching? Oh! will you 

* See the introduction. 



christian's guide. 25 

not pray; "Teach me to bo to* will; for thou art 
*rr Gon: thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land 
of uprightness?" And can you say with the poet: 

"When quiet in my house I sit, 
Thy book be my companion still: 
My joy, thy sayings to repeat, 
Talk o'er the records of thy will: 
And search the oracles divine, — 
Till evWy heart-felt word be urine?" 

If so, thou shalt experience, and continue to expe- 
rience, (dost thou not experience?) the fulfilment 
of the "Divine promise, "if any man will do my will, 
he shall know of the doctrine" — shall "know the 
truth" — the whole truth "as it is in Jesus." "He 
is the Lord thy God, who teachelh thee to profit — 
who leadeth thee by the way which thou shouldest 
go — leadeth thee into green pastures, and beside 
the still waters of comfort." And dost thou not 
perceive the intimate connection between a knowl- 
edge of "the truth which is according to godliness," 
which must be received in the light and love of it, 
and must be believed with all the heart; dost thou 
not perceive the intimate connection between this 
all-important truth, and the declaration of the Lord 
Jesus, "he that loveth me keepeth my command- 
ments," and "if ye love me" — -profess to believe in 
me — to love me — "keep my commandments.'' And 
wilt thou not, then, look to him — look to him con- 

e4 



26 christian's guide 

tinually for the light of life — of spiritual, divine 
and eternal life? And is it not the language of thy 
heart: 

"Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, 
Pilgrim through this barren land?" 

And wilt thou not receive with the most ardent grat- 
itude: 

"The sacred treasures of his grace, 
Transmitted through his word!" 

This is the "more sure word of prophecy, wherc- 
unto ye do well to take heed, as unto a light that 
shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the 
day-star arise in your hearts. " To this inestimable 
treasury, this sacred repository of the will and word 
of God, you are always referred. Look at the 
highly favored apostles of your Lord and Master, 
Peter, James and John, look at them while stand- 
ing on the holy mount — while beholding the mani- 
festation of his glory — while hearing the voice from 
heaven proclaim: "this is my beloved Son, in whom 
I am well pleased. " And to what does the inspired 
writer direct our attention ? He had not followed 
cunningly devised fables; he was an eye-witness of 
the majesty of the Lord Jesus, when he "received 
from God the Father, honor and glory ;" and he 
heard the voice that came to him from the "excel- 
lent glory:" he was both an eye and ear-witness. 



christian's guide. 21 

But to what docs lie direct oui* attention } After all 
that he had heard and seen, he turned to the divine 
wrnl, and directs our -attention to it> as the more sure 
word of prophecy, to which we do well to take heed. 
Let us, then, follow his direction, believing that 
"whatsoever things were written aforetime,*' by 
holy men, inspired by God, "were written for our 
learning, that we, through patience and comfort of 
the scriptures, might have hope.** For "all scrip- 
ture is given by inspiration of God; and is profitable 
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruc- 
tion in righteousness: that the man of God may be 
be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good 
works, <s 



B5 



CHAPTER II, 



THE CHRISTIAN'S GUARDIAN, 

« Behold* he that keepeth Israel shall neither 
slumber nor sleep. " Ps. 121, 4. 

i( I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.'* 
Jer. 1, 19. 

€ * Alas, what hourly dangers rise! 
What snares beset my way. 1 
To heaven, O, let me lift my eyes, 
And hourly watch and pray." 

In our progress through this world, we unques-. 
tionablyjneed a guide, who is able to guard/ The 
smiling infant, when danger approaches, uncon-i 
sciously turns to its nurse or parent. In imminent 
danger of any hind, the weak look to the strong for 
protection. The richly freighted merchant-man* 
in time of war, keeps near to a national convoy! 
And the most heaven-daring sinner, when tempest- 
tossed upon the ocean, or in danger of falling from 
a precipice, and of being suddenly precipitated 
into the eternal world — turns pale, and all his cour- 
age fails him! He knows — he feels that it is an aw- 
ful thing for him to die! 



CIXIUSTIA2? T S GUARDIAN 29 

"Death! 'tis a melancholy day— 
To those that have no God, 
When the poor soul is forced away — 
To seek her last abode.' 

Bv*t to whom will he then look for protection! * 

* * * Such scenes have been often witness- 
ed, am] have often occasioned weeping 1 , mourning, 
lamentation and wo! And what gloomy anticipa* 

" Men may live fools— 
I>ut fools they cannot die!* 

But we turn to the Christian, the truly noblest 
s?\ le of man. And to whom shall he look for pro- 
tection? "The eternal God is thy refuge, and un- 
derneath thee are the everlasting arms.' 

"Dj:ar refuge of my weary soul, 
On thee, when sorrows rise — 
On thee, when waves of trouble roll, 
My fainting hope relies.' 

t>n thee I cast my burden — to thee I come for safety 

— on thee I can always rely! 

"Be thou my guard — be thou my wayP 
The one must be always connected with the other/ 
What would the way be without the guard? 
'But Judahfs lion guards the way, 
And guides \\\z strangers home.* 



so 

There is a most happy union , reader, in whatever 
regards the Divine economy in the redemption of fall- 
en man! ' He is the rock, his work is perfect; for 
all his ways are judgment; a God of truth and with- 
out iniquity, just and right is he.' And he Chris- 
tian is tut guardian! What a 'privilege I Words 
cannot convey an adequate idea of it to the mind! 
And as he is the Lord thy God — and thy way— thy 
guide — thy guardian — wilt thou not commit and 
commend thyself to him — pray to him — honor birr* 
— trust in him — love him supremely, and praise 
him for all that he has done for thee, and depend 
wpon him for all that he is willing to do for tliee — m 
all things — at all times, and in all places? LooJfe 
backwards/ 

'Backwards with humble shame we lock, 
On our original; 

How was our nature dashed and broke, 
In our first father's fair!' 

Look at thy present conditio?!/ Art thou not *.& 
brand plucked from the burning?' What, then, is 
the language of thy heart? Does it not bound and 
glow with ardent gratitude? And dost thou no 
longer live to thyself, but to him who descended 
from his Father's glory, and took upon him thy na- 
ture, and lived and died for thee? Surely thou 
canst not be insensible to such 'unexampled love" — 
'such matchless guace!' How, then, art thou em* 



christian's guardian, 31 

ployed? Dost thou grovel amid tho things of tim® 
and sense ? Or canst thou say from thy hearfc 

*0 tell me no more of this world's rain stored 
The time for such trifles with me now is o'er.* 

Now look forward! What dost thou behold? A 
crown of .glory that fadeth not away — a house not 
made with hands, eternal in the heavens! And art 
thou dispirited^ feeble-minded, discouraged on ac- 
count of the way ? Hast thou forgotten the rock 
of ages — the rock of thy salvation? Pause — reflect! 
Did Christians ever * trust in God, and were con- 
founded?' No — impossible! 'He that believeth 
on him shall not be confounded.' And the evan- 
gelical prophet declares, ' Thou wilt keep him m 
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, 9 Why? 
'Because he trusteth in thee.' And, therefore, 
'Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Je- 
hovah is everlasting strength.' 'Why sayest thou, 
O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, my way is hid 
from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over 
from my God? Hast thou not known — hast thou 
not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the 
Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, nei- 
ther is weary ? There is no searching of his under- 
standing. He giveth power to the faint; and t9 
them that have he might he increaseth strength* 
Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the 
young man shall utterly fall: but they that wait on 



32 christian's guardian. 

i the Lord shall remew their strength; they shall 
mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and 
not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. << 
Hence the Christian should 'thank God and take 
courage;* and say, in the face of opposition, ' Re- 
joice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, 
I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall 
be a light unto me. 4 'The Lord God is a sun and 
shield,' (alight and a defence,) 'and he will give 
grace and glory : and no good thing will he with- 
hold from them that walk uprightly.* 



CHAPTER III. — S E C T I N I. 



A CONCISE VIEW OF THE EVIDENCES OF 
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 



Examine the records of the world: 
Search for truth, as miners search for hidded treas- 
ures, 
She will well repay thy toil! 

And therefore, 

* Search the scriptures. 5 — John v. 39. 

'Through reason's rounds alone thy faith can die/ 
— Dr. Young. 

The wisest of men compared the path of the just 
to the shining light? — by way of emphasis and 
distinction — all light! as contradistinguished from 
all darkness! And we cannot conceive of a more 
striking contrast. So the apostle Paul, in his epis- 
tle to the Ephesians, says to them, 'Ye were some 
time dahkness ; but now are ye light in the 
Lord: walk as children of the light.* And what 
follows? It increaseth more and more unto the 
perfect day. Hence Christians are said to 'go from 
strength to strength, till they appear before God in 



34 christian's guide 

Zion/ But we have a fearful contrast before us! 
The wise man also says, 'the way of the wicked is 
as darkness!' And what follows? ' They know 
not at what they stumble.' The reason is evident, 
'darkness hath blinded their eyes.' In the former 
case, we have a correct view of spiritual light! 
In the latter, of spiritual darkness! And the 
light itself oy its Autfior — the source of spiritual light 
— claims our utmost attention! What does he say 
to us? 'I am the light of the world! And in this 
divine light we should walk! The Saviour has gone 
before us; but he presents his own light to us! 
and he invites us to come unto him — to follow him! 
And what has he held out to us as an inducement — 
what has he promised to us? 'He that followeth me 
shall not walk in darkness t but shall have the light of 
life. 9 But what if we do not follow him? We shall 
walk in darkness! — We shall stumble! And as the 
Lord Jesus is the spiritual light of the world \ so satan 
is represented as the spiritual darkness of 'the world 
that Ikih in wickedness! 9 He 'hath blinded the 
minds of them that believe iwf — of them that do not 
follow the Lord Jesus and walk in his light!' Hence 
they are said to be led captive by him at his will, as 
a blind man is led by another. And hence they 
are his slaves and followers — the bond-slaves of sin 
and satan! He is their god and father.* Dreadful 
* See Johnvui. 12. Uohn iii. 10. Heb. vi. 7, & 



AND GUARDIAN. 8® 

union! — Horrible coalition/ And this is thy condi- 
tion, reader, if thou dost not believe on the Lord 
Jesus Christ — if thou art not his follower, and dost 
not walk in his light! 

For the light before us — the light of revelation-*- 
the light of spiritual life — the Lord Jesus Christ 
— graciously shines upon this dark world, and our 
reasoning upon this light is natural, connected and 
conclusive. Our inference, therefore, is inevitable! 
We are either the l children of God, by faith in Jesus 
Christ, 9 and 'walk in the light as he is in the light, 
and have Christian fellowship with each other; 5 or 
most appalling contrast! — we are the children of the 
wicked one! and are Hed captive by him, 9 and are en- 
veloped in darkness! Have we, then, any reason 
to be surprised at the darkness of infidelity? 
Surprised!. How can we be surprised? Have we 
faith in God, and faith in the Saviour? Let us then 
again look at the most dreadful contrast! Be- 
lief! — connected with light — life — liberty! — 
Unbelief! — connected with darkness — death- 
bondage! And surely we need not again inquire, 
is it reasonable to believe? For with the immensity 
of light before us! We believe that it is irra- 
tional to disbelieve! And therefore, 'he that 
believeth not shall be damned'— <he that believeth 
not is condemned already, 5 and 'the wrath of God 
abidettv on^him. * And again, 'he that believeth'— 



36 christian's guide 

'he that hath received his testimony, hath set to Ms 
seal that God is true/ but 'he that believeth not 
God,' (with all this flood of evidence before him,) 
'hath made him a liar. ' Made the God of truth a 
liar! What, then, can be expected? What can 
the enemy of God expect? And as 'God is light, 
and in him is no darkness atalP; and as Jesus Christ 
his well-beloved Son, is the 'brightness of his glory 
and express image of his person/ and as 'the light 
of the knowledge of the glory of God shines upon 
believers in the face of Jesus Christ.* So it follows 
beyond the possibility of any rational doubt, and to 
the absolute preclusion of every rational misapprehen- 
sion, that 'whosoever denieth the Son, the same 
hath not the Father — hath not an interest in the 
love of the Father: (but that he that acknowledg- 
ed the Son, hath the Father also.) And again, 
'who is a liar,' (with all this light of reason and re- 
velation beaming before him,) 'but he that denieth 
that Jesus is the Christ? He is anti-Christy that de- 
nieth (that disbelieveth) the Father and the Son. 
The one is connected with the other. It follows, 
that it is an awful thing to be an irrational un- 
believer? For he is, as we have seen, in the light 
of reason and revelation, 'condemned already, and 
the wrath of God abideth on him!' 

A revelation from God must be worthy of 
himself; and therefore adapted to his finite, depen- 



AND GUARDIASf. S7 

dant, rational and accountable creatures. And can 
we doubt the importance of such a relation t© 

us? 

'This is the bud of being, the dim dawn, 
The twilight of our day, the vestibule.' 

Let us see, then, whether the revelation transmit- 
ted to us, and which we would not exchange for 
the material universe ! — whether it is thus char- 
acterized — whether it is thus sustained. And let 
us be alike rational and scriptural, in every step 

WE TAKE THROUGH TIME TO ETERNITY ! We haVO 

but one life-time — but one period of probation/ And 
then — what then? Would we Hake a leap in the 
dark?'— In the DARK! We pause! 'While we 
have the light let us walk in the light — that we may 
be the children of light 9 — 'lest' — alarming thought! 
'darkness come upon us/ 9 — lest we stumble upon the 
'dark mountains 9 of error ; and fall— fall to rise jto 
more! 

'A trembling immortal — on a dread brink/ 

To FALL TO RISE NO MORE — TO S1N*J 

Not so the Christian! He is not afraid to die — 
to look the ' king of terrors' in the face— to wel- 
come his very shaft — his blunted shaft/ What do« 
he say? 

©1 



38 christian's guide 

*This puth the best of men* have trod,. 

And who'd decline the road to God! 

Oh! 'tis a glorious boon to die! 

This favor crn't be priz'd too high.' 
Can we say amen? Let us now address ourselves 
to the sacred book — to its internal and external ev- 
idences. 

First — To its external evidences. Let us look at 
its antiquity. It is the oldest book in Uie world/ 
Where is our testimony, and from whom ? We re- 
ceive testimony from two sources — tradition and 
history — in all the latitude and bearing of those 
terms? By narrative — by signs and way marks — 
toy hieroglyphicks — by monuments of various kinds 
— by records — by private manuscripts — biography, 
and literary, and scientific, and moral references,, 
illustrations and allusions. And we are prepared 
from these sources; and from the corroborative testi- 
mony of the most ancient, and wisest, and best of 
men. This has been denied; (and what has not 
been denied?) but our proofs are abundant and un- 
exceptionable. Ancient authors who were neither 
within the pale of the Jewish nor Christian church,, 
cannot be suspected of partiality. We instance 

* f I would rather die, than be translated to heav- 
en: my Saviour trod that path before me.' — Dr. 
Coke. 



AND GUARDIAN. 39 

SfASTKTiio,* Ciiehemon, Apollonius and Ltsima- 
chus, besides some other ancient Egyptians, 
whose histories are now lost, but were quoted by 
Josephus, whom no one could suspect, as extant in 
his days: 'and passages arc collected from them, in 
which they agree, that Moses was the leader of the 
Jews when they departed from Egypt.' 'Stuabo, 
who flourished in the century before Christ, gives 
an account of the law of Moses, as forbidding ima- 
ges, and limiting divine worship to One Invisible 
and Universal Being. Justin, a Rornan historian* 
in his 36th book, devotes a chapter to an account 
of the origin of the Jews; represents them as sprung 
from ten sons of Israel, and speaks of Moses as the 
commander of the Jews who went out of Egypt, cf 
the institution of the Sabbath, and the Priest-hood 
of Aaron. Plint speaks of Moses as giving rise to 
a sect of magicians, probably with reference to his 
contest with the magicians of Egypt. Tacituj 
says ' Moses gave a new form of worship to the 
Jews, and a system of religious ceremonies, the re- 
verse of every thing known to any other age Or 

* See Rev. Watson's Epitome of the Evidences 
of the Christian Religion, one of the best works ex- 
tant; also, a view of the evidences, &c. by Eietchcr; 
and we would particularly recommend his 'Appeal 
to Matter of Fact and Common Sense,' in which 
the former is comprised — a truly valuable work. 

q2 



40 

country.' Longinus cites Moses as the law-giver 
of the Jews, and praises the sublimity of his style, 
in the account which he gives of the creation. Aa 
to Christ — it is only necessary to give the testimony 
of two historians, whose antiquity no one ever 
thought of disputing. Suetonious mentions him 
by name, and says, that Claudius expelled from 
Rome those who adhered to his cause. Tacitus 
records the progress which the Christian religion 
had made, and the violent death its Founder had 
suffered; that he flourished under the reign of Ti- 
berious; that Pilate was the Procurator of Judea; 
and that the original Author of this profession was 
Christ. Thus, not only the real existence of the 
Founder of Christianity, but the period in which 
he lived, is exactly ascertained by writings — the 
genuineness of which has never been doubted. 
And their priority is evident from the testimony of 
the witnesses cited. This argument should never 
be overlooked: for all things being equal, it is ob- 
viously unanswerable! And no one will deny, that 
the accordant testimony of the sacred writers them- 
selves,* is at least equal to that of those who were 

* It must be obvious upon reflection, that when 
an individual is deeply interested in the facts which 
he records, independently of all other considera- 
tions, but a regard for truth, and yet narrates nei- 
ther more nor less than the facts themselves sustain, 
that his testimoney must be, all things considered* 



AND GTTARDIAX. 41 

evidently unbiased and disinterested; still more so, 
than that of the well known enemies to Christianity ! 
They were, however, as honest men — (would that 
all, in this respect, were like them!) — compelled to 
record the truth. 

Second — The genuineness and authenticity of 
the sacred books, with regard to number, period 
of time, correlative testimony and reception, have 
all those proofs, and all that weight of evidence, 
which defy the incredulity, the denial or any thing 
of a contrary character, on the part of one, of any 
one who receives or does not reject, or deny, any 
other manuscript — tradition or evidence of any 
kind, from the same or any other source or sources. 
This argument is evidently unanswerable/ We ap- 
peal to right reason! If it were not so, what should 

at least equal, if not superior to the testimony of 
those who simply record them as a matter of course, 
and without any other interest in them than is com- 
mon to passing spectators or public notaries. ] [ence 
we say, a certain good man, from his great regard 
for his intimate friend, is likely to exaggerate his 
virtues: but his enemy would detract from his al- 
lowed reputation. If, then, the friend should not 
record more of his own intimate friend, than might 
be recorded by one altogether unattached, and 
therefore unbiased, it would, unquestionably, be 
considered as a striking proof of the most sterling 
honesty! And such, we can affirm, is the peculiar 
characteristics of the sacred writers, and that in the 
most pre-eminent degree! 

c3 



42 christian's guide 

we receive or a'edit, and what should we not deny or 
reject? We are bound, therefore, by common hon- 
esty — by a regard for consistency — by a sheer love 
of justice, as well as from a due regard to the facts 
and evidences adduced, to receive every testimony for 
the sacred scriptures, with the same frankness — the 
same readiness — the same openness to conviction, 
that we receive — that we believe facts from any other 
source! Nor should we reply to the facts and evi- 
dences in support of the sacred scriptures, as we 
would not reply to the facts and evidences from any 
other source, and for any other purpose ; for if we 
did, w r ould it not argue a wrong state of mind? 
And it will be readily conceded, that * jests do not 
pass for proofs, nor invectives for arguments.' On 
the contrary, they prove any thing, rather than a 
love for truth, and any thing rather than a disposi- 
tion FOR SOUND ARGUMENT! 

Hence it is manifest, that they will not come to 
the light; but, in effect, exclaim: 'Depart from us, 
for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways!' How 
different is the language of the Christian, 'Lord, to 
whom shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eter- 
nal life.' 

'Thy name my inmost powers adore; 
Thou art my life, my joy, my care. 
Depart from thee! His death — 'tis more— 
*Tis endless ruin— deep despair!' 



and guarthak*. 4% 

Let us, then, free from every Kas> and with all 
the candor of true magnanimity, duly investigate, 
and closely consider the numerous facts- and eviden- 
ces, by which the Christian religion is triumphantly 
sustained,, in ike very face of the most violent oppo- 
sition/ The facts are before us — are recorded in 
the sacred volume; and they are admitted and con- 
firmed by the writers quoted, and by many others, 
and from other sources.* We might fill a volume 
with details, which every candid inquirer will allow 
to be unnecessary, when the great outlines are 
abundant ly sufficient for every rational and scriptural 
purpose! It would appear, indeed, that to bring 
forward a multiplicity of details, when the facts 
already before us, are as effulgent in their kind and 
degree, as the rays of the meridian sun — would seem 
to imply the want of something! Shall we then 
bring forward a taper — a thousand tapers, to in- 
crease the light of the sun? The confirma- 
tion, therefore, beyond the possibility of a doubt, 
of all the numerous facts recorded, to the sources 
/of which we have referred, now claims our atten- 
tion. This is already done by the hand of a very 

* See Leslie's Short and Easy Method with the 
Deists. A book that should be read by every free- 
thinker, (we regret that we cannot say close-think? 
er,) in the world. 

c4 



44 christian's &UXDE 

distinguished writer. Thus : speaking of the 
books written by Moses, lie sa} 7 s, 'It is impossible 
that those books should have been received as Ids, 
if not written by him, because they speak of thenv 
selves as delivered by Moses, and kept in the ark 
from his time. Deut xiii. 24, 26. A copy of this 
book was also to be left with the king. Deut. xviii. 
18. This book of the law thus speaks of itself, not 
only as a history or revelation of what things were 
done, but as the standing or municipal-flaw and stat- 
utes of the nation of the Jews, binding the king as 
well as the people. Now, in whatever age after 
Moses this book may be supposed to be forged — it 
was impossible — that it could be received as truth 
because it was not then to be found, as it professed 
to be, either in the ark, or with the king, or any 
where else; for when first invented, every body- 
must know that they had never heard of it before. 
Could any man, now at this day, invent a book of 
statutes or acts of parliament for England, and 
make it pass upon the nation as the only book of 
statutes that they had ever known? Nay, more* 
the whole nation must, in an instant, forget their 
former laws and government, if they could receive 

f See RoHin's Ancient History, throughout.. A 
most striking corroboration, and affording a variety 
of the most happy illustrations. 



AND GUARDIAN. 4B 

these books as being their former laws. * Again: 
Let me ask the deist one short question: * Was their 
ever a book of (forged) laws palmed upon any peo- 
ple, since the world began? If not, with what face 
can they say this of the book of laws of the Jews? 
Why will they say that of them, which they confess 
impossible in any other nation or among any other 
people ? ' Buttheymust.be yet more unreasos- 
jtBLE!' For the books of iMoses have a further de- 
toaonstration of their truth, than even other law 
books have; for they not only contain the laws, but 
gtye an historical account of their institution, and 
the practice of them from that time: as of the Pass- 
over, in memory of the first-born in Egypt. Num. 
vi'ii. 17, 18; and that the same day, all the first-born 
of Israel, both of men and beast, were, by a per- 
petual law, dedicated to God. and the Levites 
taken for all the first-born of the children of Israel. 
And besides these remembrances of particular ac* 
tions ami occurrences, there were other solemn in- 
stitutions in memory of their deliverance out of 
Egypt, in the general, which included all the par- 
t culars: as the Sabbath; their daily sacrifices and 
yearly expiation; their new moons, and several 
f- asts and fasts. So that there were yearly, month- 
ly, weekly, daily remembrances and recognitions 
of these things. Could it have been possible, then, 
to have persuaded & whole nation, that they had 
C5 



46 

known and practised all these things, if they bad 
not done it. Comment would be superfluous. 
'This able reasonirg has never bt en refuted, nor 
can it be.' *The kind of miracles he gives as in- 
stances render this imposible. 'Suppose,' says the 
same writer, 'any mau should pretend, that yester- 
day he divided the Thames, in |he presence of all 
the people of London, and carried the whole city, 
men, women and children, over to Southwark, on 
dry land, the water standing- like walls on both 
sides: I say it is 'morally impossible, that he could 
persuade the people of London that this was true, 
when every man, woman and child, could contra- 
dict him, and say that this was a notorious falsehood 
■—for that they had not seen the Thames so divided, 
nor had they gone over on dry land.' 13 y these 
arguments, the genuineness and authenticity of the 
books of Moses are established; and as to those of 
the Prophets, which, with some predictions in the 
writings of Moses, comprise the prophetic branch 
of the Divine Authority of the revelations they con- 
tain, it can be proved, both from Jewish, tradition; 
the list of Josephus; the Greek translation; and 
from their being quoted by ancient writers, that 
they existed many ages before those events occur- 
red.' The same author, from whom we have al- 
ready quoted, applies his celebrated four rules, for 
determining the truth of matters of fact in general, 



AND GUARDIAN 47 

with equal force to the facts of the gospel history, 
.as to those contained in the Mosaic writings. The 
.rules are: 

1st— That the matter of fact be such, that men's 
outward senses, their eyes and ears^may be judges 
of it. 

2d — That it Jp dm*e publicly in the face of the 
world . 

3d— That no t only public monuments.be kept up 
in memory of it, bait some outward -actions be per- 

4th— That such monuments, and suoh actions 
and observances be instituted, and do commence 
from the time that the matter of fact was done. 

We have seen the manner in which these are 
■applied to -the books of Moses. The author thus 
applies them to the gospel: l l now come to show, 
■that as in the matters of fact of Moses, so likewise 
,all these four marks do meet in the matters of fact 
-which are recorded in the gospel of our blessed 
Saviour. And my work herein will be shorter, 
because all that is said of Moses and his books are 
every way as applicable io Christ and his gospel/ His 
works and his miracles are there said to be done 
.publicly and in the face of the world; as he argued 
with his accusers, '1 spake openly to the world, and 
in secret have 1 said nothing. ' — John xviii. 20. It 
&s a-eeui ded— Acts ii. 4l.-Mhat .three thousand -JL 



48 christian's guide 

onetime; and, Acts iv. 4. — that above five thous- 
and at another lime, were converted, upon convic- 
tion of what they themselves had seen — what had 
been done publicly before their eyes, wherein it 
was impossible to have imposed upon them. There- 
fore, here were the two first rules before mention- 
ed. Then for the two second^Haptism and the 
Lord's Supper were instituted as perpetual memo- 
rials of these thing's; and they were not instituted 
in after years, but at the very time when these 
thing-s were said to be done; and have been observ- 
ed without interruption, in all ages throughout the 
Christian world, down to the present time. And 
Christ himself did ordain apostles and other minis- 
ters of his gospel, to preach and administer the sa- 
craments; and to govern his church; and that al- 
ways, even to the end of the world. Mat. xiii. 20. 
Accordingly, they have continued by Succession, 
until this day; and, we have no doubt, will continue 
till the end of time. So that the Christian clergy 
are as notorious a matter of fact, as the tribe of 
Levi among the Jews, and the gospel is as much t« 
law to the Christians, as the books of Moses- to the 
Jews.' These arguments are irrefragable. But 
again: 'we have already quoted the testimony of 
Tacitus and Suetonious to the existence of Jesus 
Christ, the Founder of the Christian religion, and 
to his crucifixion in the reign pf Tibcrious and dur? 



AND GUARDIAN. 49 

ing the procuratorship of Pontius Pilate, the time 
in which the evangelists place that event. Other 
references to heathen authors, who incidentally al- 
lude to Christ, his religion and followers, might be 
given, such as Martial, Juvenal, Epictetus, Trajan, 
the yonnger Pliny, Adrian, Apulcius, Lucian of 
Samosata, &c. Some of whom also afford testimo- 
ny to the destruction of Jerusalem, at the time and 
agreeable to the circumstances predicted by our 
Saviour, and to the antiquity and genuineness of 
the books of the New Testament.* But as it is 
well observed, by the learned Lardner, in his 'Col- 
lection of Jewish and Heathen Testimonies,' among 
all the testimonies to Christianity, wiiich we have 
met with in the first ages, none are more valuable 
and important than the testimonies of those learn- 
ed philosophers who wrote against us, Celstts in 
the second century, Porphyry and Hierocles in the 
third, and Julian in the fourth/ 'Celsus wrote 
against Christianity not much above one hundred 
and thirty years after our Lord's ascension, and his 

1 * No public contradiction of this history was 
ever put forth by the Jewish rulers, to stop the 
progress of a hated religion, though they had every 
motive to contradict it. This silence is not unim- 
portant evidence; but the direct testimony to the 
facts are numerous and important.' Will not our 
enemies avail themselves of every opportunity to 
injure us? Yet they unintentionally bear witness to 
the truth/ 



£0 

books were answered by the celebrated Oriegin, 
He was a most bitter enemy of Christianity, and 
produces many passages out of the gospels. He 
represents Jesus to have lived a few years before. 
He mentions his being born of a virgin; the angels 
appearing to Joseph; the star that appeared at his 
"birth ; the wise men that came to, worship him when 
an infant: Herod's massacre of the children; Jo- 
seph's fleeing with the child into Egypt, by the 
admonition of an angel; the Holy Ghost descend- 
ing upon Jesus like a dove, when he was baptized 
by John, and the voice from heaven declaring him 
to be the Son of God; his going about with his dis- 
ciples; his healing the sick and lame, and raising' 
the dead, 5cc. It is true that he mentions all these 
things, only with a design to ridicule and expose 
them. But they furnish us with an uncontested 
proof, that the gospel was then extant. Accord- 
ingly, he expressly tells the Christians, *these things 
we have produced out of your own writings/* Who, 
then, will deny them? Surely Christians 'can 
speak to their enemies in the gate!' The emperor 
Julian who succeeded Constantius in the year 
361, wrote also against the Christians, and in his 
work has undesignedly borne a valuable testimony 
to the history and books of the New Testament. 
He bears witness to the genuineness and authenti- 
city of the four gospels— Matthew, Mark, Luke 



AND GUARDIAN. 51 

and John, and the Acts of the Apostles. And he 
so quotes them as to intimate, that these were the 
only^' historical books of the New Testament re- 
ceived by Christians, as of authority; and the only 
authentic memoirs of Jesus Christ and his apostles.' 
Bat it is needless to multiply quotations: No other 
book in the world, is so fully attested and confirm- 
ed as the sacred scriptures. Add to which, that 
the most scrupulous care has been maintained thro' 
so many ages, to preserve the Holy Bible inviolate. 
Time would fail to particularize. We shall but 
briefly glance at the remarkable fulfilment of pro- 
phecies, the successive rise and downfall of the 
Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian and Roman Empires 
— the literal accomplishment of the destruction 
and continued desolation of Babylon — the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem — the wandering Ishmaelites, 
'whose hand is against every man, and every man's 
hand against them* — the awful judgments inflicted 
upon many nations on account of their sins — the 
low and degraded condition of Egypt, 'the basest 
of kingdoms,' through so many centuries, and the 
dispersion of the Jews, through all nations, and 
their still remaining a distinct people — unamalga- 
mated — while Asyrians, Babylonians, &c. cannot 
be distinctly traced! Will not every unprejudiced 
person exclaim: 'what hath God wrought!' Who 
tthall not fear thee, O Lord, and stand in awe of thy 



52 christian's guide 

judgments? 'Thou, even thou art to be feared! 
And who can stand in thy presence when thou art 
angry ?' 

* * * Moral arguments clothed with all the truth 
and force of moral power, are now, as they ever 
have been irresistible! Such are the following: 
Upon the mere supposition that the Bible was in- 
vented, it must be obvious, that it was either the 
invention of good men or bad men. But it could 
not be the invention of good men. They would 
not say, 'Thus saith the Lord,' to a lie! A good 
man is not a liar — it is a contradiction in terms. 
And it could not be the invention of bad men. 
They! — the enemies of God and their own souls — 
they invent the purest system of morality ever pre- 
sented to the world! — a system enjoining all virtue, 
and prohibiting all vice — with an infinite blessing 
on the one hand, and an infinite curse on the other! 
the man who can believe all this, is infinitely more 
credulous, than any true believer in the Christian 
religion, although the latter, in connection with his 
rational belief, should be very superstitious in many 
things, and encompassed with a good deal of wood, 
hay and stubble; like a certain good man,* who 
wore an iron girdle, as a token of mortification. 
For he had still the 'root of the matter in him/ and 

* The Marquis De Renty. 



AND GUARDIAN*. 53 

vas, therefore, in every essentially rational point of 
view, infinitely superior to the man who can believe 
such a monsterous absurdity! It follows, therefore, 
incontrovertibly that the Bible is a revelation from 
God. But we take another view of the subject. 
Let us look at good* men — at good men in all ages 
of the world — but not inspired. 'Were all the 
philosophers, from Socrates to Newton, to be uni- 
ted in the effort, they never could produce a book 
s© benevolent in its design y so original, and yet so 
true in its views;, so efficacious in its operation fSO> 
sublime in its discoveries.' That it contains mys- 
teries which angels desire to look into, is rather a 
confirmation than an objection. In one word, 
*study the holy scriptures^ therein are the words of 
eternal life.' 

But again: the necessity and importance of a re- 
velation from God should never be overlooked.. 
What could be more natural — more proper — more 

* It might appear futile to remark, if the most 
preposterous objections were not often brought 
forward, that by the phrase good men, we merely 
understand moral men, as contradistinguished from; 
immoral men, in common parlance. For, accord- 
ing to the spiritual import of the divine law, all 
have 'sinned and come short of the glory of God.* 
Hence believers are 'justified freely by his grace, 
through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.' 
and then, their faith is proved by their works, as a 
tree is known, by its fruit. 



54 christian's guide 

desirable? And what is a revelation, but a disclo- 
sure of the divine mind and will — to his rational, 
dependant and accountable creatures? And is not 
this the precise character of the Holy Bible? Now, 
the infidel, according to his own assumption, must 
prove — the burden lies upon him to prove— what ? 
*That there is no heaven / He must prove, and yet 
he cannot prove, that there is no hell. He must 
prove, that Christ is not God, and yet he cannot. 
He must prove, that he is not the Saviour of men, 
not the judge of all, and yet he cannot. How can 
he? Has he searched all records, in all lands? 
Missing it here in this humble province of the 
mighty empire, has he searched them all? Has 
he penetrated heaven and hell — consulted all intel- 
ligences? If he has omitted any item, or even one 
witness, that item may contain, and that witness 
may exhibit the evidence of the gospel and the 
evidence of our Lord's Deity. Now, as a rational 
being, he can take no practical benefit out of this 
system, so long as it wants proof. He cannot have 
faith without proof. Without faith he can have no 
repose to his mind and conscience. He is in fearful 
and eternal suspense — the suspense of an immortal 
being, between the hope of happiness, and the 
terrors of the second death! Every shrewd mind 
must see this. Every infidel does see it — sooner 
or later! The pleasures and pursuits of time pre- 



AND GtlARDIAK. 55 

Vent the mind from taking a calm and honest view 
of this. When these are removed, the soul, recov- 
ering its elasticity, and the conscience, too, its ter- 
rible powers, from that crushing load laid on it — 
discovers, feels and acknowledges it, with a hor- 
rible demonstration! 

But further: The remarkable simplicity, and 
perfect freedom from all guile, by which the holy 
scriptures are most strikingly contradistinguished 
from all other writings, force upon the mind of 
every sincere and candid inquirer after truth, the 
inevitable conviction, these men carry the evidence 
of truth with them, as a frontlet before the eyes! 
They recorded their own errors — aberrations from 
the path of duty — misguided zeal — unreasonable 
expectations — ingratitude and desertion of their 
Lord and Master, whom they professed to love, 
follow and serve. Yet there is no attempt at ex- 
tenuation — no false glosses — no cloak of conceal- 
ment — no apology of any kind! The simple truth 
is stated, and the reader is left to draw his own in- 
ferencesf And here it may not be improper to 
notice, as a very remarkable fact, that in all ages 
of the world, and in all classes of society, a dispo- 
sition has been most unhappily manifested, to exten- 
uate self— to revert again and again, to something 
which, humanly speaking, should be forgotten. 
How anxious is the human mind to justify itself— 
Dl 



9* CHRISTIAN'S GtttD* 

*ycn after the cause of its grievance has passed- 
away — and how indisposed to make a due acknowl- 
edgment— even when a sense of duty and the 
Voice of reason, and a regard for true* honor, ap- 
pear to require it; and this is the case, not unfre- 
quently — from individuals to social bodies — and 
from social bodies to legislative assemblies! We 
need not ask for proofs. They pour upon us front 
til quarters r 



SECTION I IV 

THE INTERNAL EVIDENCES OF TH& 
CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 

Here lies the burden — here the weight! 
I see — I fee! mt o*s true state! 

When darkness hovers all around-*- 
I sink into a gulf profound! 
Arous'd by revelation's call — 

I upward look, and find my All-iw-all? 

• How happily this wonderous view supports my 
former argument.'— t>r* Young. 

We shall consider the nature, character, moral 
tendency and efficacy of the divine doctrines of the 
ioly scriptures. Let us look at < the . explicit-' 

• See appendix Bw 



AND GUARDIAN. 17 

mt*%* sublimity and truth of th« representatloiMi 
which the scriptures make of the nature and attri- 
butes of God, respecting which the wisest heatheni 
fell into errors so gross and fatal. He is there ex- 
hibited as the Great and the Sole First Cause of all 
things, eternal, self-existent, present in all places, 
knowing all things; infinite in wisdom and power; 
and perfect in goodness, justice, holiness and tr,uth. 
These discoveriesf of revelation have satisfied the 
human mind, on this great and primary doctrine; 
and have given it a resting place which it nquer £ 
before found.* 

Again: The holy scriptures * alone show— and 
indeed they alone profess to show — how God may 
be just, and yet the justified of the ungodly. — 

• It is unknown to what extent unbelievers are 
enlightened by that very revelation which they 
affect to despise, or to which they turn a deaf ear,. 
'They will not hearken to the voice of the charmer 
— charm he ever so wisely.' ^Tetthe light has, in 
some degree, shined upon them. O that they 
would come to it — know it — and follow on to know 
the Lord/ O that they knew — Would but know 
the way to true happiness! 

f See Franklin's letter to Thomas Paine. 

$ See Watson's Evidences, &c. 

§ Many have entertained the strange notion, that 
if they are sorry for their sins, and are moral for 
the future, all will be well! But what becomes of 



58 christian's guide 

Other schemes profess to show how he may be 
merciful, but the difficulty does not lie here. This 
meets it — this sacred volume meets it, by declaring 
Hhe righteousness of God,' at the same time that it 
proclaims his mercy/ The voluntary sufferings of 
an incarnate divine person 'for us,' in our room and 
stead — magnify the justice of God — display his 
hatred to sin — proclaim the 'exceeding sinfulness' 
of transgression, by the deep and painful sufferings 
of the substitute — warn the persevering offender 
of the terribleness, as well as the eternity of his 
punishment* and open the gates of salvation to 
every believing penitent. It is a part of the same 
divine plan — to promise the influence of the Holy 
Spirit — to awaken penitence, and to lead the wan- 
dering soul back to himself — to renew the fallen 
nature of man in righteousness, at the moment he 
is justified by faith.' He is then born again — re- 
newed in the spirit of his mind — delivered out of 
the hands of his old master, the prince of dark- 
ness, who worketh in his followers, to will and do 
Ms good pleasure? and having become the child of 
$1 >d, by adoption and grace, through the Lord 
Jesus Christ — God worketh in him to w ill and d* 

the justice of God-r-of his violated law — of the har^ 
mony of alt his attributes and perfections? And 
what of the condition of man by nature? What oa$ 
be do without divine grace? 



AND GUABDIAX. 59 

•/• his own good pleasure, that he 'may serve him 
without fear,' and walk before him 'in holiness and 
righteousness all his days.' All the ends of gov- 
ernment are here answered! No license is 
given to offence; the moral law is unrepealed; a 
day of judgment is still appointed ; future and 
eternal punishment still exhibit their awful sanc- 
tions; a new and singular "display of the awful pu- 
rity of the divine character is afforded; yet pardon 
is offered to all that seek it. 5 Justice and mercy 
are alike displayed, maintained, harmonized! And 
see sorrow and love displayed at Gethsemane! See 
the Saviour! What did he say to his disciples? 
'My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death.' 
What did he say to his Heavenly Father? Abba, 
Father, all things are possible unto thee: take away 
this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but 
what thou wilt.' 

'Jesus drinks the bitter cup/ 9 
'That was the hour and power of darkness.' 
But he conquered as he fell! — overthrew the 
powers of darkness — the 'prince of this world came 
to him, but had nothing in him* — could not pre- 
vail against him! He spoiled all the principalities 
and powers of darkness, and led captivity captive, 
and received gifts for men, even for the rebellious, 
that the Lord God might dwell among them!— 

d3 



60 christian's guide 

Hear him exclaim — while extended on the cros* 
—while mocked by his enemies, the Chief Priests, 

Scribes and Elders— while Buffering for our sins 

bear him exclaim on Calvery's bloody brow— 'It 
is finished!' See 

'From his head, his hands, his feet — 
Sorrow and love flow bleeding down ! 
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, 
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?' 

Sinner behold the Saviour & What does he say to 
thee? Ye will not came to me! Ye will not receive 
mercy — pardon— salvation! But after all, will ye 
not come to me and receive eternal life ? 

'Listening to his voice — 
New life — the dead receive! 9 

And therefore, *Lo we come unto thee,' 'for thou 
art the Lord our God.' 

•Come to the living waters, come! 
'Tis God invites the fallen race; 
Mercy and free salvstion buy — 
Buy wine, and milk, and gospel grace. 

See from the rock a fountain rise; 
For you in healing streams it rolls; 
Money ye need not bring, nor price, 
Te lab'ring, burden'd, sin-sick soulf . 



A&ri guakdian; 61 

Nothing 1 ye in exchange shall give, 
Leave all you have, and are, behind; 
Frankly tile gift of God receive — 
Pardon and peace in Jesus find;' 

But what more shall we say to the unconcerned 
sinner? We would still argue — reason — entreat 
— beseech — expostulate ! May we not say to thee: 
•what is death' (temporal death) that thou shouldst 
fear it 5 ' But what is eternal death — the death of 
the soul — the never-dying death ? Here the infidel 
turns pale! The scoffer shrinks back appalled! 
See him in a storm at sea, when the raging billows 
toll and swell, and beat With fiiry against the reelling 
and creeking vessel, and threaten instant destruc- 
tion! Ah, then see him! O how changed! Is it 
he? Yes— but not NOW THE SAME! He 
now sickens, and fear chills his vitals, and keen 
anguish wounds his spirits! And see him again! 
He falls upon his knees, and prays! Yes, he prays 
indeed! He prays, 'Lord, have mercy upon me! 
O ever-blessed Lord, have mercy upon me— have 
mercy upon me!' lie can say no more! And 
shall he forget his prayer — his preservation— the 
goodness and mercy which have followed him— 
followed him all the days of his life, and still — 

STILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW HIM ! 

Shall he not continue to pray — to think, Che was 
then forced to think/ J — to hear reason-~ta> attend t® 
l>4 



62 christian's guide 

the voice or bevelatios? But what docs reason 
say to him? 

•Be wise to-day — 'tis madness to defer; 
Next day — the fatal precedent will plead.' 

And— 

'What day — what hour, but knocks at human 

hearts— 
To wake the soul to sense of future scenes?* 

"What does revelation sat to him? 'God speak- 
feth once, yea, twice, yet man perceivt-th it not — 
(will not attend to it.) In a dream, in a vision of 
the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, i« 
slumberings upon the bed; then he openeth the 
ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, that he 
may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide 
pride from man.' 

Again: 'He looketh upon man; and if any sny, t. 
have sinned, and perverted that which was right* 
and it profiteth me not; lie will deliver his sou! 
from the pit, and his life shall see the light:* *Lo, 
all these things vvorketh God often times with man* 
to bring back his soul from the pit — to be enlight- 
ened with the light of the living.' And thus Go4 
speaks, by his Spirit in his word! Therefore, hear, 
believe, obey, through the strength of that grace 
which he freely imparts, and which he now, even 
now, offers to thee,- through the merits and media- 



ANI> GUARDIAN. 63 

tiont of the Lord Jesus Christ! We hare seen tha 
nature and character of the internal evidences of the 
sacred scriptures! Let us now look more particu- 
larly at their moral tendency and gracious efficacy! 
'This* tendency is obvious. No where but in the 
scriptures have we a perfect system of morals; and 
the deficiencies of raffan morality only exalt the 
purity, the comprehensiveness, the practicability 
©f ours. The character of the Bein^ acknowledg- 
ed as supreme, must always impress itself upon 
moral feeling and practice; the obligation of which 
pests upon his will.' The God of the Bible is holy, 
without spot; just, without intermission or partiali- 
ty;, good, boundlessly benevolent and beneficent; 
and his, law is the image of himself— 'holy, just and 
good*' And these great moral qualities are seen, 
wherever they are by his Spirit impressed, 'exempli- 
fied in action, displaying themselves amidst human 
relations, and the actual circumstances of human 
life.' With Pagans — with the wisest heathen na- 
tions, the standard of morality was very low — their 
apprehension of correct principles was dim; but 
why ? ' Because that, when they knew God, they 
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, 
, but became vain in their imagination, and thei? 

* See Watson's Evidences, &c. 

d5 



foolish hearta were darkened:' and * professing 1 * 
themselves to be wise, they became fools.' 'With 
them, the authority of moral rulers was either the 
opinion of the wise, or the traditions of the ancient, 
confirmed, it is true, in some degree, by observa- 
tion and experience; but to us, they are given as 
commands, immediately from the Supreme Gover- 
nor, and ratified as his by the most solemn and ex- 
plicit attestation. With them, many great moral 
principles, being indistinctly apprehended, were 
matters of doubt and debate; to us, the explicit 
manner in which they are given excludes both: for 
it cannot be questioned, whether we are command- 
ed to love our neighbors as ourselves; to do to 
others as we would they should do to us — a pre- 
cept which comprehends all relative morality in 

* This is evidently the case with many in our 
day: they are, alas, for themselves — we say it with 
grief, not with scorn — 'wise above what is written.' 
Hence 'the preaching of the cross is to them folish- 
ness.' They receive not the truth in the love of it 
— that they might be saved;' and by them 'the way 
of truth is evil spoken of.' They should not be 
surprised, therefore, if ' God should send them 
strong delusion,' and if the fire which they have 
kindled for themselves — should consume them! 
For a woe is pronounced upon those who are thus 
'wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own 
sight' They have neglected the law — the counsel 
— and the glorious gospel of the eternal Jehovah! 
And what true wisdom is in them? 



AND GUARDIAN. 65 

tfne plain principle; to forgive our energies; to lev© 
love all mankind; to live 'righteously,' and 'soberly/ 
and 'godly;' that magistrates must only be a terror 
to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well^that 
subjects are to render honor to whom honor, and 
tribute to whom tribute is due; that masters are to 
be just and merciful* and servants to be faithful 
and obedient.' In short — morality — pure — vital- 
elevating and ennobling — in heart and mind— ^in 
the life and the conversation — in all the private, 
and social, and public departments of rational and 
accountable beings — is enjoined, inculcated, and 
enforced upon us, by the most solemn and most 
awful declarations! By blessings of the highest 
order — by the most fearful denunciations— by all 
the joys of heaven — by all the torments of hell! 
And heaven and earth are called upon to bear 
record to the all-wise and infinitely righteous man- 
dates of Jehovah — to all the precepts and promises 
— all the light and darkness — all the good and evil 
— all the blessings and cursings — all the eternity of 
life and death — which are, in the sacred volume, 
portrayed before us! 

Is there then any space or opportunity for evasion 
any cloak for maliciousness — any cover or conceal- 
ment for evil of any kind — any ground for compro- 
mise between God and the immortal soul? Then* 



6(3 GH&ISTIAn's GUIDE 

is none — there can be none — s either ik time 
xor eteenitt! Now let us look at the efficacy 
of the GLonious gospeL! Iii less than three cen- 
turies from its first propagation, through the in- 
strumentality of plain and comparatively unlettered 
men, but men divinely taught — taught in the school 
of Christ— and not in the school of worldly wisdom 
— that 'wisdom which is foolishness with God;' (not 
philosophy — properly so termed,) — in less than 
three centuries, 'it overturned Paganism in the 
Roman empire, and spread itself through the civil- 
ized world — in opposition to human power, and 
when, through a great part of this period, its pro- 
fessors were exposed to continued reproach, and 
often to terrible persecutions, and although it dis- 
couraged, reproved and forbade every kind of 
vice! The first preachers of the gospel, though 
unsupported by human power, and unpatronized 
by (misnamed) philosophic wisdom, and even it* 
opposition to both — succeeded in effecting a revo* 
lution in the opinions and manners of a great por- 
tion of the civilized wo'rld — to which there is n& 
parallel in the history of mankind/ Though as- 
persed by the slander of the malicious, and exposed 
to the sword of the powerful, in a short period of 
time they induced multitudes of various nations^ 
\*ho were equally distinguished by the peculiarity 



AND GUAJtDIAlT. &1 

of their manners, and the diversity of tftelr lan- 
guage, to forsake the religion of their ancestors! 
And to desert ceremonies and institutions, which 
were defended by vigorous authority, sanctified by 
remote ages, and associated with the most alluring 
gratification of the passions. After their death 
the same doctrines were taught, and the same ef- 
fects followed, though successive and grievous per- 
secutions were waged against all who professed 
their faith in Christ, by successive Emperors, and 
inferior magistrates; so that about A. D. 140, Jus- 
tin Martyr writes, 'There is not a nation, Greek 
or barbarisn, or of any other name, even of those 
who wander in tribes, and live in tents, among 
whom prayers and thanksgivings are not offered to 
the Father and Creator of the universe, in the name 
of the crucified Jesus.- And what a wonderful 
revolution has the Christian religion effected, wher- 
ever it has been propagated with zeal and fidelity* 
'In every heathen country where it has prevailed, 
it has abolished idolatry, with its sanguinary and 
polluted rites.' 'It has raised the standard of rnor- 
ality, and by that means, even where its/uU effects 
have not been suffered to display thaHaaelves, has 
insensibly improved the morals of every Christian 
state. 

A^hat heathen nations are, in point of momls^ 



65 christian's guide 

is well known.' Christianity has also abolished 
human sacri&ces — exalted and improved the char- 
acter of woman — given a new character to war- 
excited its true professors to universal philanthropy 
— restrained the sway of despotic power — allayed 
the angry passions — promoted peace and good will 
among individuals, communities and nations — and 
in fine, prepared the way tor every good word 
and work! 

This is the religion — the holt religion- of the 
Lord Jesus Christ! We have presented it to 
thy view, reader, in its true nature and character? 
We have proved its divine origin/ We have shown 
it to be alike rational and scriptural^— alike adapted 
to the head and the heart/ — a sovereign remedy for 
every want and woe — for evils of every kind and 
degree — alike suited to the learned and the un- 
learned — the wise and the ignorant — alike calcula- 
ted for all nations and climes, and tongues, and peo- 
ple! It proclaims 'glory to God in the highest, and 
em earth peace, and good will towards men-/' Its 
divine founder went about doing good, and healing 
all that were possessed by the devil; and he declar- 
ed that the Spirit of his heavenly Father was upon 
him, 'because lie had anointed him to preach the? 
gospel to the poor — to heal the broken-hearted — 
t© preach deliverance to the captive, and recover. 



AND GUARDIAN. 6$ 

tng of sight to the blind — to set at liberty them that 
are bruised — to preach the acceptable year of the 
Lord* — to invite and entreat sinners to come unto 
him — to receive him as their Lord and Saviour — 
as the fountain of spiritual light and \\fe r and peace 
and joy forever and ever! Reader — Hast thou thus 
received the Lord Jesus Christ, with all his blessings, 
and treasures? 



CfiAffER IV. 



A CLEAR, FULL AND LUMINOUS EXHIBf- 
TION OF THE ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES 
AND PRECEPTS OF THE CHRISTIAN 
RELIGION. 

'Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye 
have eternal life; and they are they which testify of 
me. '—-John v. 39. 

*How precious is the boofc divine, 

15y inspiration given! 
Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine- 6 - 

To guide ou* souls to heaven.' 

Having prepared the way for this all-impor- 
tant subject — having laid down general princi- 
ples — having directed our attention to the Chris- 
tian's Guide and Guardian? and having viewed the 
Christian's faith and works, in the light of rea- 
son and revelation; we now, reader, most ear-' 
nestly entreat your patient, unwearied and most 
devoted attention. Fellow-traveller to the eternal 
^rorld; we invite you by the most powerful motives 
—by the most weighty reasons— by the most inv 



72 

pressive and solemn considerations — by all the argu* 
ments that can be adduced from a correct view of 
the worth of the soul— the price paid for its re- 
demption, and all the joys of heaven, and all the 
horrors of hell — by all the promises and threaten- 
ings of the glorious gospel — the glad tidings of 
salvation, which proclaims ' peace on earth — good 
will towards men.' By all these motives, and rea- 
sons, and arguments, and considerations, from heav- 
en, earth and hell; we solicit your most candid and 
most serious attention to the following pages. May 
the writer and the reader be alike concerned, and 
alike engaged in the things that pertain to their 
everlasting peace, and alike .obtain eternal life, 
through the merits and mediations of the only, but 
all-sufficient Saviour of sinners^ to whom, with the 
Father and the Holy Spirit, may we ascribe all the 
glory forever — Amen. 

And now we shall endeavor to bear in mind — to 
keep steadily in view in every step and stage of our 
progress— -'The Christian's Guide and Guardian*' 
Here we begin, here we continue, and shall we say 
here we END? Shall we not always progress? But 
we look at the 'Alpha and Omega; the beginning 
and the ending* of all his plans, dispensations and 
whatever is to us 'inscrutable and past finding out.' 
And it must be obvious, that all our works should 
begin, continue and end iw him, as our iiiithe! 



AND GUARDIAN. 73 

But it must be no less obvious, that here we must 
not stop! We must continue to look to him — to 
receive supplies from him — to view him as our por- 
tion — to confide in him as our Guide, to trust in him 
as our Guardian! 'Thou shalt guide me with thy 
counsel.' 'Hold thou me up and I shall be safe,' 
must be the continual language of our hearts, while 
passing through time to eternity. And it must also 
be the language of our hearts, 'This God is our 
God/ and therefore our Guide and Guardian, 'for 
ever.' Holy angels, we are informed, are 'minister- 
ing spirits:' and that 'the angel of the Lord en- 
campeth round about them that fear him, and de. 
livereth them.' But who guides them in the way 
that they must go, and enables them to fight the bat- 
tles of the Lord? We have the answer engraven 
within our consciousness of our own entire depend- 
ence upon the Lord our God, as our unerring and 
eternal Guide and Guardian — our all-in-all — 
for time — for eternitt ! And we, therefore, 
proceed to consider, to weigh, to dwell upon the 
inconceivably important subject before us, under the 
teaching of our Guide, and under the protec- 
tion of our Guardian! 

'Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast 
The words of eternal life.* 



El 



f% christian's Gl/lDE 

Hence we infer, that the sacred scriptures — tfrfr 
revelation from God to man, DO present to us, 
indeed, a clear, full and luminous exhibition of the 
Christian religion: and it is our intention and en- 
deavor, in humble and prayerful dependence upon 
divine grace, to present to the reader, 'a clear full 
and luminous exhibition of the essential doctrines 
and precepts of the Christian Religion/ And we 
claim the reader's indulgence, with regard to any 
apparent needless repetition, it being the design of 
this work, to present the truth to the mind, in its 
due connexion, and in its pure and unadulterated 
simplicity, and as guardedly as possible. 

And if this small volume should be instrumental, 
under the divine blessing, to the spiritual and eter- 
nal Welfare of one immortal soul, it will be an 
acquisition, 'a reward of grace,' infinitely beyon» 
was worth or tbe material universe! 



SECTION I . 

ON THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES AND PER- 
FECTIONS. 

We believe that there is one God, the only living 
and true God. 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord oar God 
is owe Lord,' 'For though there be that are called 



AND GUARDIAN, 75 

gods,* whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be 
gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but 
one God.' And 'it is written, thou shalt worship 
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. ■ 
'Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 5 Idolsf 
of every kind are expressly forbidden. Hence 
God said to his people Israel, 'Their heart is divid- 
ed.' He will not, therefore, admit of a rival in our 
affections: *Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart, ' 

The attributes of God are conspicuously display- 
ed, above, beneath and all around us. 'The heav- 
ens declare the glory of God, and the firmament 
sheweth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth 

* As we are not uncommonly referred to distinc- 
tions that obtain among men; so are we referred to 
distinctions of a higher order, 'whether they bo 
thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers,' 
and we also read, '1 have said that ye are gods,' ye 
bear rule. In a subordinate sense, ye are God's 
vice-gerents 'See,' said the Lord to Moses, 'I 
have made thee a god to Pharaoh.' 

f Theory and practice shall go hand in hand. 
Hence we read, 'there is one God 5' and its concom- 
itant, 'thou shalt love the Lord thy God,' &c, thus 
uniting the knowledge and love of God. And 
Jience the propriety and importance of combining 
doctrine with precept, and the light of the under- 
standing with the ardent glow of the heart. 'These 
things ye should have done,' it might be often said, 
*aad not have left the other undone.' 

JC2 



76 christian's guide 

speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 5 
*0 Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom 
hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy 
riches.' But the eternity, immensity, omnipotence, 
immutability, omniscience and omnipresence of 
Deity, are naturally and necessarily, as they are in- 
finitely, beyond the comprehension of every finite 
mind. 'Canst thou by searching find out. God? 
Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection? 
It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper 
than hell; what canst thou know?' And his wis- 
dom, holiness, justice, faithfulness, goodness, mer- 
cy and truth, are alike displayed, but cannot be 
fully comprehended by his creatures; and though 
the 'mystery of Providence will be explained,' and 
many things which are now extremely obscure, 
will be unfolded, and all doubt and darkness res- 
pecting them will be forever removed; yet from the 
very nature of things, the Creator in all his attri* 
butes and perfections, cannot be adequately com- 
prehended by his creatures! "But whatever it con- 
cerns them to know, is clear— full — luminous! 
"With this knowledge, therefore, and the progress 
and expansion of the mind, we should be always 
satisfied, and for it we should be continually grate- 
ful! And all the perfections of Deity — all the at- 
tributes and excellencies that we can now conceive, 
(and we do not now endeavor to look after those 



AND GUARDIAN. 77 

that cannot be now conceived,) are portrayed be- 
fore us in the most resplendent characters, an<J 
all the perfections of Deity, conceiveable and 
inconceiveable, are evidently comprised in one short 
sentence: Infinite perfectibility. 

But the HARMONY of the divine attributes 
and perceptions more especially claims our atten- 
tion. 

'Set not at odds heaven's attributes^ 

Nor with one's excellence another wound.' 

'The sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptred 
? Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?* 
? Hearken unto me ye men of understanding: far be 
it from God, that he should do wickedness^ and 
from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. 
For the work of a man shall he render unto him, 
and cause every man to find according to his ways. 5 
His 'mercy and truth are met together;' his 'righ- 
teousness and peace have kissed each other.' 'Mer- 
cy shall be built up forever: thy righteousness shalt 
thou establish in the very iheavens.' And again: 
'Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy 
throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.' 

'Justice and judgment are thy throne, 

Yet wond'rous is thy grace ; 
While truth and mercy, join'd in one, 

Invite us near thy face.' 

js3 



78 christian's guide 

section ii, 

THE HOLY TRINITY. 

We believe that the holy scriptures contain the 
doctrine of the Holy Trinity: that the Father, 
Son and Holy Spirit, are one, co-equal and co-eter- 
nal. "We read, 'and God said, let us make man,' 
evidently implying plurality: and divine attributes, 
perfections and honors, are equally ascribed to Fa- 
ther, Son and Holy Spirit. 

1st— Creation, £od alone can create: 'He cre- 
ated all things by the word of his power.' 'He 
that built all things is God.' And his power, and 
the glory which is due to him he 'will not give 
to another/ 

But the same attribute is ascribed to the Son. 
'For by him were all things created, that are in 
heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, 
whether they are thrones, or dominions, or princir 
palities, or powers: all things were created by him 
and for him. And again: 'All things were made 
by him; and without him was not anything made 
that was made/ Language cannot be more ex- 
press. And as creative power belongs to God 
only, and as all things were created by Jesus Christ* 



AND GUARDIAN. 79 

so, It iftkjfe^sarily follows; that Jesus Christ is God. 
]>ut Jesus Christ is, moreover, declared to be God. 
*\i\ the beginning was the word, and the word was 
with God, aiid the word was God/ And again: 
'Christ came, who is overall, God blessed forever.' 
So divine works are ascribed to the Holy Spirit. 
'Tiie Spirit of God moved hpon the face of the 
waters.' The creative energy of the Holy Spirit 
moved upon the face of the waters. And, 'By his 
Spirit he hath garnished the heavens.' And again: 
4 laou sendest forth thy Spirit, they(difTerent orders 
of animals) are created.' 

2d— Eternity. 'The word WAS God:' 'The 
word,' the well beloved Son,' had no beginning! 
lie is also called, 'the Everlasting Father.' And 
the Holy Spirit is called, 'the Eternal Spirit.' 

3d — Omnipresence. 'Do not I fill heaven and 

earth, saith the Lord.' 'Thoa God seest me.' And 
the Lord Jesus Christ is every where present: 
'Where two or three are gathered together in my 
name, there am 1 in the midst of them.' And the 
lloly Spirit is every where present: 'Whither shall 
1 go from thy Spirit?' 

4th — Omniscience. 'God only wise:' 'the all- 
wise God.' Jesus Christ is 'the wisdom of God,' 
and 'he scarcheth the reins and the hearts.' And 

e4 



80 

'the' Holy c Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the 
deep things of God.'* 

The divine unity and eternity of Father, Son and 
Spirit, are also recorded in heaven. 'For there are 
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the 
Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are 
one.' And God alone, as we are often informed, 
and as we know, within ourselves, can make us 
happy! When he blesses us, we are blessed in- 
deed! And 'when he giveth quietness, who then 
can make trouble? And when he hideth his face, 
who then can behold him? whether it be done 
against a nation, or against a man only.' 'In his 
favor is life,' and in his frown is death. But this 
favor, this kindness, and all spiritual blessings are 
alike received, and can only be received from the 
Triune Deity! Hence the apostclic benediction: 
'The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love 
of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be 

* It would appear, that it is a safe, and sure, and 
therefore, important rule, not to multiply words, 
when the proofs before us are amply sufficient. We 
could net increase the light of the sun, by all the 
tapers in the world. But this rule appears to be 
still more important in a work intended to comprise 
a great deal in a small compass/ We would remark, 
for instance, that Omnipotence, Almighty power, 
js necessarily implied in the work of creation; and 
as we have seen, alike applicable to Father, Son 
and Holy Spirit. 



AND &UARDIAN. SI 

with you all.' And hence the general commission 
to preach 'the everlasting gospel:' 'Go ye, there- 
fore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the 
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost.'* 



SECTION III. 
CREATION. 

'These are thy glorious works, Parent of good. 

Almighty, thine this universal frame, 
Thus wondrous fair; thyself how wond'rous then ! 

Unspeakable !' — Thompson. 

Wkat a theme/ In view of it angels might pause, 
and ponder, and wonder, and adore! Should man 

* The distinctive offices of the Father, the Son, 
and the Holy Spirit, are natural and necessary, the 
obvious result of the relation respectively sustained 
in the divine unity, and according with the economy 
of man's redemption. Hence we read, the Father 
gave his only begotten Son, to be the Saviour of the 
world. The Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for 
our sms: and the Holy Spirit convinces the world 
of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. It fol- 
lows, that it is sufficient, under this general head, to 
prove the co-equal and co-eternal divinity of the 
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in accordance to those 
displays of divine power, wisdom, &c. which are 
not of a peculiarly distinctive character. 

E5 



S2 christian's guide 

be less concerned? We look backward to ereaihn 
— to the Creator/ We have viewed his attributes 
and perfections, we have viewed the Triune 
Deity! And wow let us view creative enogi 

THE INCONCEIVABLY GREAT AND GLORIOUS JUS- 
PLAY of Almighty tower! But shall we view 

HIS POWER ALONE? His WISDOM his GOODNESS 

his love, were no less engaged than his power! He 
is 'the only wise God;' *he isgoodanddoeth good/ 
and 'God is love.' What, then, should we expect 
from him? The sacred volume informs us, 'the 
Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in ail his 
works.' 'The Lord is good to all; and his tender 
mercies are over all his works.' And therefore, O 
Lord, we should believe, that 'righteous and true 
are all thy ways' — that thou art the Author and 
Giver of all good — the fountain of spiritual light, 
and life, and love; and forbid it — gracious and mer- 
ciful Lord God, forbid it, that we should ever, for 
a single moment, entertain HARD THOUGHTS 
of Thee! Thou canst not do wrong! Far be 
such a thought from us! The Judge of all the earth 
will do right! Thou dost not need us/ Thou 
dost not need any of thy intelligent creatures/ Tho w 
art infinitely holy and happy! But why were 
we created? Thou dost inform us, that we might 
look up to thee as our Father — 'the Fatlur of the 
spirits of all flesh;' that we might love thee with all 



ATSD (HTARDIAET. 8.3 

miv hearts, and serve thee with all our strength; 
that we might enjoy thy favor forever; and know, 
that spiritual life and happiness consist in thy favor, 
.and that in thy service there is perfect freedom! 
And thou dost delight in the habitable parts of thy 
creation and thou dost delight in the prosperity of 
them that fear thee! And now, O Lord our God, 
fve would look upon and contemplate the wonders 
of thy creation! Impart to us thy Holy Spirit, and 
.guide us into all truth, through the merits and me- 
diation of our Lord and Saviour Xesus Christ. — A- 
men. 

We now proceed to consider the Mosaic history 
<of the creation. Genesis — the history of the crea- 
tion of the various orders of beings, and of succes- 
sive generations, 'lathe begining God created 
the heaven and the earth. 5 'He spake and it was 
done.' 'God said, let there be light: and there was 
Sight.' 'And God saw the light, that it was good.' 
And after every creative act, 'God saw that it was 
good.' It was worthy of himself. And then 'God 
SiW every tiling that he had made; and, behold! it 
was very good! A good God! A good creation! 
And then, 'the morning stars sang together, and 
,all the sons of God shouted for joy.' Should man 
be mute? 

•Praise ye the Lord: 'tis good to raise 
Our hearts and voices in his praises 



S4 christian's guide 

His nature and his works invite — 
To make this duty our delight.' 

* While of thy works I sing, 

Thy glory I proclaim; 
Accept the praise, my God, my King, 

In my Redeemer's name.' 

i Praise the Lord, O my s£tiL' 'I will extol thee, 
my God, O King; and I will bless thy name forever 
and ever. Every day will i bless thee, and 1 will 
praise thy name forever and ever.' — Amen and 
amen. 

'Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, 
and all the host of them. And on the seventh day 
God ended his work which he had made; and he 
rested on the seventh day from all his wcik which 
he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, 
and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested 
from all his works, whL'h God created and made. 
Thus God speaks to us after the manner of men. 
He adapts his language to the capacity and compre- 
hension of his finite creatures. But 'is there any 
thing too hard for the Lord?' No — impossible! We 
can conceive of many things; but he is able (be- 
cause he is Almighty,) to do infinitely above what- 
ever we can conceive or think/ It follows, that his 
adaptation to his creatures is a most striking proof of 
his infinite condescension/ We might say, there 



AND GUARDIAN. %5 

fore, under the view before us, let us contemplate 
this inconceivably great and glorious scene! Be 
hold! 

'But who can speak thy wond'rous deeds^ 
Thy greatness all our thoughts exceeds; 
Vast and unsearchable thy ways! 
Vast and immortal be thy praise!' 

But we would, though faintly and feebly, speak of 
thee, eternal and infinite Jehovah, after the manner 
of finite creatures, with the most profound venera- 
tion and humility, yet with grateful hearts, and the 
spirit of cheerful obedience, we would thus speak 
of thee, and say to ourselves, see! How the divine 
goodness proposes — how the divine wisdom plans 
— how the divine will determines — how the divine 
power executes! See! 

How 'the lofty sky- 
Declares its, Maker, God! 

And all the starry works on high~< 
Proclaim his power abroad. 

The darkness and the light 

Still keep their course the same; 

While night to day, and day to night, 
Divinely teach his name/ 

THE CREATION OF MAN. 

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the 
ground, and breathed into hi* nostrils, the breath 



86 CHRISTIAN'S GUIDE 

of life; and man became a living soul. And the 
Lord God planted a garden et?st-ward in Eden-; and 
there he put the man whom he had formed. And 
out of the ground made the Lord God to grow 
every tree that is pleasant tq the sight, and good 
for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the 
garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and 
evil.' 'And the Lord God took the man, and put 
him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to 
keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, 
saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest 
freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of 
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the 
day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. 
And the Lord God said, it is not good that man 
should be alone; I will make him a help meet for 
him.' 'And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to 
fall on Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his 
ribs, and closed up the flesh thereof. And the rib 
which the Lord God had taken from man, made he 
a woman, and brought her unto the man. And 
Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh 
of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because 
she was taken out of man.' Thus the Lord God 
created our first parents, and placed them in the 
garden of Eden: and the following very important 
questions are now presented to our consideration : 
1st. In what condition was man created } 



AND GUARDIAN. 87 

We are informed. 'And God said, let us make 
man in our image, after our likeness;' 'so God 
created mi»n in his own image; in the image of 
God created he him; male and female created he 
them/ 

2d. In what does the image of God consist? 

We answer, man, being finite, cannot resemble 
his Maker in any of his infinite attributes: in all 
these respects, the creatures mast be forever at an 
infinite distance from the Creator! But as man was 
created an intellectual and spiritual, as well as ani- 
mal being; so he was distinguished from all the in- 
ferior orders of beings in the creation, as he was 
God's vice-gerent over them: and no less distin- 
guished from them by his immortality.* Hence 
he was prepared for the MORAL IMPRESS of 
the divine image; and the question recurs, in what 
does it consist ? The apostle Paul informs us, that 
'the new man,' as contra-distinguished from the 
fallen man, 'is renewed in knowledge, after the 
image of him that created him;' and the divine im* 
age is always the same! In what, then, does this 

* We are expressly informed, that 'life and m> 
mortality are brought to light by the gospel.' Many 
powerful arguments might be adduced in support 
of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul; but 
the express declarations of the sacred scriptures 
preclude the necessity of argumentation upon this 
subject. 



88 christian's guide 

knowledge consist? The same apostle informs us 
of those whose understanding" was darkened, and 
who were alienated from the life of God, through 
the ignorance that was in them, because of the 
blindness of their hearts. He also informs us of 
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, 
shining in the face of Jesus Christ: and this moral 
light, as we have seen, is contra-distinguished from 
moral darkness. 

Again: The apostle informs us, that the new 
maiiy still contra-distinguished from the old or fallen 
man, is created by God in righteousness and true 
holiness. It appears evident, therefore, that the 
moral image of God, in which Adam was created, 
consisted in knowledge, * righteousness, and 
true holiness — necessarily comprising all those 
virtues which are comprehended in the moral law 
and which are briefly expressed in this short sen- 
tence: 'Thou shalt loye the Lord tht God 

WITH ALL THY HEART ; AND THY NEIGHBOR* 

EVERY FELLOW BEING *AS THYSELF. ' Luke XXU. 

-37—40. 

3d. Were Adam and Eve perfectly happy? 

'I hey could not be otherwise, so long as they 
retained the divine im?ge; so long as they loved 
the Lord their God with all their hearts! 'Qv**X 

* See Col. iji. }0. Eph. iv. 2*. 



And guardian. SO 

{>eace have they that love God's law.' Reader do 
you not know this from most happy experience? 

4th. As Adam and Eve were perfectly happy; 
Were they under any lawful or reasonable induce- 
ment to transgress any divine command? 

They could not be: the question contains its owft 
answer. Any transgression of a holy, wise and 
good law, argues base ingratitude— contrariety 

TO REASON, AND MOST FLAGRANT REBELLION! 

5th. Were they furnished with every thing cal- 
culated to afford them continual gratification — to 
satisfy the lawful and reasonable desires of rational 
and immortal minds? 

Look at Eden — At Paradise! 'Out of the 
ground made the Lord to grow evert tree that is 
pleasant to the sight, and good for food.' 'And 
God blessed them, and God said unto them, be 
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and 
subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the 
sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every 
living thing that moveth upon the earth.' 

But, above all, look at the communion which 
they held with the Father of their spirits, while 
robed with innocence— while inhaling the balmy fra* 
grance of Eden — while looking round upon the 
wonders of creation — while contemplating, the 
wisdom, and goodness, and power, so richly dis- 
played! And now, reader, answer to thyself! How 



90 christian's guide 

could they force their way — to transgress- 
to REBEL — TO BE UNGRATEFUL— UNDER SUCH CIR- 
cumstances! and against their creator — their 
Lord and Master — against that great and 
glorious being — so holy and wise — SO JUST 

AND GRACIOUS — SO BENEVOLENT AND BOUNTIFUL ? 



SECTION IV. 

THE FALL OF MAN. 

'Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit 
Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste 
Brought death into the world, and all our wo, 
With loss of Eden, till one greater man 
Restore us, and regain the blissful seat, 
Sing, heav'nly muse.' — Milton. 

'The wages of sin is death.' — Rom. vi. 23. 

♦Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the 
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon 
all men, for that all have sinned.' — Rom. v. 12. 

And, 'Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sor- 
row shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.' — 
Gen. hi. 17. 

These are the solemn declarations of the lively 
oracles: They proclaim 'man's disobedience,' and 
its consequences. They proclaim, what is sin — 



ANB GUARDIAN* SI 

&N2> THB WAGES OF SIN — BORROW — STTFESHITG— 

death! Surely, then, it becomes us to hear with 
the most earnest attention, what the voice of Jeho- 
vah proclaims to us — in the most thrilling* accents; 
and may we SO HEAR, and so bead, and so applt 
—to OURSELVES— that we may, through divine 
grace, LIVE! Our eternal happiness or wo 
depends upon it! The writer and the reader will 
soon — very soon — have 'passed the bourne whence 
no traveller returns* ' 

'A point of time, a moment's space, 
Removes me to that heavenly place, 
Or shuts me up in hell.' 

Let us, then, fellow-traveller THROUGH TIME! 
Let us, in humble, and prayerful, and persevering 1 
dependence upon the Almighty, through the Lord 
Jesus Christ — think, speak, read, write, act FOR 
ETERNITY! 

♦Eternity— where sinks the soul— at that dread 

sound! 
Into a gulf— how dark— and how profound!' 

Let us, therefore, address ourselves to this all-im- 
portant subject, so full of interest, and involving so 
many weighty considerations, in which we are alike 
concerned! 



Fl 



*2 CfflR*3TlAH*S GUIDE 

7ne tultility of the serpent — Eve deceived— Man'* 
thameful participation and fall — The punishmcrit 
inflicted — Ejection from Paradise. 

Genesis, third chapter: 'Now the serpent was 
more subtile than any beast of the field which the 
Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, 
yea, hath God said,* ye shall not eat of every tree 
of the garden? And the woman said unto the ser- 
pent, we may eat of th« fruit of the trees of the 
garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the 
midst of the garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat 
of it, neither shall ye touchf it, lest ye die. And 

* Mark the insidious language of the tempter: 
•hath God said,' &c. As if he had* said, could God 
prohibit you from eating of that tree? Implying 
that it was a very hard injunction — a very severe de- 
privation/ What an aspersion upon God! Should 
not the woman have revolted from the idea; and 
shrunk back with horror? So should We shrink 
from the most distant temptation, and 'flee from 
the appearance of evil,' and never for a moment 
trust in ourselves. Let us pray, 'hold thou me up,, 
and I shall be safe.' 'He that trusteth in his own 
heart is a fool.' 

+ Let us look at the very striking import of the 
injunction, 'neither shall ye touch it:' go not in the 
WAY of temptation — 'go not in the way of evil 
men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and 
pass away.' 'Taste not, touch not, handle not, the 
unclean thing' — whatever is prohibited. 'Trust in 
the Lord with all thy heart* and lean not unto thine 
•wa understanding. 



AKJ> GTTARDXAK. ft 

the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely 
diei for God doth know that in the day ye eat there- 
of, then your eyes shall be opened; and ye skall be 
as gods, knowing good and evil.' Thus far the 
tempter and the temptation. We proceed to re- 
mark, 1st — The base assumption of the tempter: 
charging God with a lie: 'ye shall not surely die.* 
God does not mean what he said; thus 'changing 
the truth of God into a lie.' But 'hath he said and 
shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall h% 
not make it good?' But that assumption stamped 
the tempter with the appellation of liar: 'he is * 
liar, and the father of it,' the father of lies and liars! 
And does he not now lie? Does he not now 
deceive ? And are not many, very many, kow 'led 
captive by him at his will }' Look at the * hard 
speeches of sinners against their own souk/' Look 
at their stubborn insistence to the truth/ Are they 
not deceived? Hath not a deceived heart turned them 
aside? And doth not the arch enemy still say to 
them, <ye shall not surely die?' How often has the 
truth been proclaimed to them, from the garden of 
Eden—from Mount Sinai— -from Calvary/ And 
how often have they turned away from it — grieved 
the Holy Spirit — put far from them the words ©f 
eternal life, and CHOSE DEATH ik thr error 
of teeir way? But 'wo unto them when I depart 
from titem, with th« Lord/ 'My Spirit shall not 
91 



$4 CHRISTIAN*! GUIDE 

always strive with man.' Beware, then, Impenitent 
sinner, lest he 'take thee away with a stroke/ and 
then 'a great ransom cannot deliver thee.' Is it not 
'a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living 
God ? ' 'God,' out of Christ, 'is a consuming fire/ 
And therefore, 

'Sinners, the voice of God regardf 

His mercy speaks to-day; 
He calls you by his sovereign word, 

From sin's destructive way.' 

And consider that thy 'life is ever on the wing* — 
that 'death is ever nigh* — that NOW is the accept- 
ed time'— that NOW is the day of salvation/ NOW 
therefore, if ye will 'HEAR HIS VOICE HAR- 
DEN NOR YOUR HEARTS.' 

♦While life prolongs its precious light — 
Mercy is found and peace is given! 

But soon, ah soon, approaching night 
Shall blot out ev'ry hope of heaven. 

While God invites, how blest the day! 

How sweet the gospel's charming sound? 
Come sinners, haste, O haste away, 

While yet a pard'ning God he's found/ 

$oon, borne on time's most rapid wing, 
Shall death command you to the grave* 



And guardian. $$ 

Before his bar your spirits bring, 
And none be found to hear or gave* 

In that lone land of deep despair. 
No Sabbath's heavenly light shall rise^ 

No God regard your bitter prayer. 
Nor Saviour call you to the skies.' 

2d — The character of the tempter's assertion : 
for God doth know, &c. as though he could appeal 
to God for the truth of his assertion. God doth 
know — what? That 'your eyes shall be opened.' 
By whpm? Had not God opened their eyes? And 
in God's light, could they not see light? Who, 
then, was to open their eyes, and for what ^pur- 
pose? Could sin or satan open their eyes?. 

3d— The temptation itself: 'and ye shall be as 
gods, knowing good and evil.' «Ye shall be as 
gods!' How impious/ What heaven-daring pre- 
sumption/ And they should know good and evil/ 
Good they already knew/ Hut why should they 
know evil — commit evil? or, why should they sin 
against God? This is the obvious import of the 
passage. The Lord Jesus 'knew no sin' — did not 
commit any sin. And the word knew, or the phrase 
knew not, is frequently used, in the sacred scrip- 
tures, to denote, freedom from — not concerned 
with, &c. 

3v 



95 christian's guide 

We now proceed to the sequel. 'And when 
the woman saw that the tree was good for food, 
»nd that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to 
be desired to make one wise,* she took of the fruit 
thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her hus. 
band with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of 
them both were opened, and they knew that they 
were naked; and they sewed figleaves together, and 

* A desire to be wise, above what is written— 
to be sreat, far beyond our present condition-to 
b°ar rule or control, without reference to right or 
tHle-and to have our own inclination gratified, or 
our own will and way in whatever appears to be 
rleosnc to us- without considering that our happi- 
ness is inseparable from our duty-our advance- 
ment from our submission-our growth m grace 
Tnd knowledge-from our firm faith and cheerful 
obedience W*, from woeful experience, in all 
til T have proved to be the fruitful sources of evds 
that far exceed all human calculation! _ 
TbbReioue, 'Let no man say when he is tempt- 
ed I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempt- 
ed with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but 
every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of 
blown lust, and enticed Then when lust hath 
conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and s,n, when ,t is 
finished, bringeth forth death.'-.);*™" , l|„ 15. 
therefore, let him that thinketh hestandeth take 
heed lest he fall.'-l Cor. x. 12. And therefore, 
Hake heed to himself,' that he 'be not conformed to 
iwB world.' 'For all that is in the world, the lust of 
the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 
is not of the Father, but is of the world.'-l Joh* 

U- 1 6 - 



AND GUARDIAN. £7 

made themselves aprons. And they heard the roice 
of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of 
the day : and Adam and his wife hid themselves from 
the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of 
the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, 
and said unto him, where art thou? And he said, 
I heard th}/ voice in the garden, and I was afraid, 
because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he 
said, who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast 
thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee 
that thou shouldst not eat? And the man said, the 
woman, whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave 
me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God 
said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast 
done? And the woman said, the serpent beguiled 
me, and I did eat/ 

Under a review of this passage, the following 
ideas present themselves to our consideration: 

1st — The woman looked at the tree, *she saw 
that it was good for food, and that it was pleasant to 
the eyes. 9 But was the quality of the fruit, and its 
being pleasant to the eyes, so many reasons for 
transgressing the divine command? There cannot 
be any reason^ as we have seen, for sin — ingratitude 
— rebellion/ But was there any inducement? We 
have been informed, that *out of the ground made 
the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to 
tlu Might* and good for food. 9 The same was said o! 
$•4 



98 

every tree, that was said of the forbidden tret?, and 
it was a single exception, in the midst oi'the richest 
variety and profusion! There could not, therefore, 
be any lawfully conceivable inducement to trans- 
gression. Both law, and reason, and dependence, 
and gratitude, and faith, and love, and true enjoy- 
ment, and the obedience of the heart — revolt f/om 
the idea with horror! 

But she looked at the tree, and she yielded to the 
temptation/ Hence it would appear, that she both 
gratified the unlawful desire of her eyes, and irtidtd 
in her own heart. Well may we pray, 'turn away 
mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me 
according to thy word.' And as he that trusteth to 
his own heart is a fool, so should we keep our 
hearts with all diligence: for out of them are the 
issues of life. 

2d — She gave the fruit unto her husband, and 
he did eat. It would appear, that there was but 
little hesitation on the part of Adam. Why? Wjiy 
did he not pause, reflect, consider and weigh the 
probable consequences of transgression? Perhaps he 
did so in some degree; but was led on by great 
ardor of mind, under conflicting emotions — a rush 
of ideas, producing a precipitancy, and a piercing 
view of his tender and delicate relation to his guilty 
partner — she has taken that step — shall 1 not fo]~ 
low ? Thus led on, and not improbably, aiiuou bw 



ANB &UAHBIAN. 99 

fore he was aware — He did eat! * Turns done! — 
Hence the necessity and importance of being calm 
a-ad collected, and cool, and deliberate, and, in a 
word, of being- NOW PREPARED! Reader, art 
thou now prepared* for whatever lies before thee? Art 
thou now 

'Looking 1 to God, thy soul to keep, 
And watching unto prayer ?' 

*Fn vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird.* 
Let us, therefore, 'watch and pray, lest we enter 
into temptation.' Canst thou not say, 'it is good 
lor me to draw near unto God?' And is the Lord 
thy helper? 

•Help, Lord, to whom for help I fly, 
And still my tempted soul stand by, 

Throughout the evil day; 
The sacred watchfulness impart, 
And keep the issues of my heart, 

And stir me up to pray.* 

Sd — 'And the eyes of them both were opened/ 
And here the question recurs, 'who opened their 
eyes?' We now reply, that their eyes were open- 
ed by a clear, and vivid, and piercing perception of 
the sin — the dreadful sin — which they had just com- 
rnltted! They knew SIN — EVIL! They had an 
experimental knowledge of evil! They had eaten o£ 
tiie tree, which was to them a criterian: <ue tree of 
5f 



100 christian's guide 

the knowledge of good and evil/ And what follow • 
ed? They were covered with conscious guilt, and 
shame and confusion! 'Alas! how fallen!' Their 
innocence — their peace — their purity had fled! 
BEFORE — they were strangers to 'guilty joys' — 
strangers to misnamed pleasures — strangers iq 
alienation from the life of God! Now let us look 
back upon the Eden which they had forfeited, and 
Upon their former holy and happy condition! 

It would appear that it was about the time of their 
creation, that 'the morning stars sang together, and 
all the sons of God shouted for joy.* And then 
they could join in chorus with the angelic hosts — 
then they could 'talk with God,' and enjoy com- 
munion with him — then every day was to them a 
Sabbath — every season a spiritual festival — every 
moment a moment of enjoyment! God was in all 
their thoughts — creation itself beamed upon them 
— all was light, and life, and love, and peace, and 
joy! O ye blissful scenes! Ye lovely partners of 
mutual joys! Ye thrice happy pair! Ye did then 
bask in the beams of your beneficent Creator's pre- 
sence! No thought of foolishness — no thought of 
evil was then in your minds! hovj could you — 
why did you put forth your hand to evil, and despoil 
yourselves of happiness, and cover creation with the 
darkest gloom/ What follows? Conscious of their 



AND GUARDIAN. 101 

em and shame, 'they sewed fig-leaYes together, and 
Wi&de themselves aprons.' 

*Tfte pride of dress did ne'er begin — 
Till Eve our mother learn 'd to sin!' 

Have we, then, any reason to be proud of dress? Is 
it not 'the folly of the mind?' 

'The adorning thee, with so much art, 

Is but a barb'rous skill! 
'Tis the pois'ning of a dart — 

'loo apt before to kill}' 

'And they beard the voice of the Lord God walk- 
ing in the garden in the cool of the day.' Jehovah 
Jesus! — not improbably in a more especial manner 
— then appeared to them, walking in the garden, 
and they heard his voice! With what a thrill it 
must have passed through them! A guilty conscience 
is very soon alarmed! But the voice of the Lord 
God! The thunderings and lightnings of Sinai, 
could not have affected them so much! And what 
did they do! 'Hid* themselves from the presence 
of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.' 
'How had sin blinded their minds!' 'Hid them- 
selves from the presence of the Lord God' — from 
the presence of that great and glorious Being who 
inhabits eternity and fills immensity ! 'Can any hid« 

* See appendix B. 



102 christian's guide 

himself in secret places, that 1 shall not see him! 
saith the Lord.* 'There is no darkness, nor shadow 
of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide 
themselves.' 

'Lord, thou hast searched and seen me through; 

Thme eye commands with piercing' view — 
My rising and my resting" hours, 

My heart and flesh with all their powers. 

O may these thoughts possess my breast, 

Where'er I rove, where'er I rest; 
Nor let my weaker passions dare — 

Consent to sin, for God is there!' 

But they were arraigned before their Maker, and 
scrutinized by the 'searcher of hearts and trier of 
reins/ And the'fearful question was put to Adam 
*Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded 
thee that thou shouldest not eat?' 'And the man 
said, the woman, whom thou gavest lobe with me, 
she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.' As if he 
Jiad said, if thou badst not given the woman to be 
with me, I should not have eaten of the tree. Thus 
casting the blame upon God. God had seen, that 
it was not good for man to be alone; 'It is not good 
that man should be alone; I will make him an help 
meet for him.' What base ingratitude, then, did 
Adam display! 'And the Lord God said unto the 
wom&n* what is this that thou hast done? And th<* 



AND 6UARDIAH. 10$ 

woman said, the serpant beguiled me, and I did 
eat.' As the man cast the blame upon the woman, 
so the woman cast the blame upon the serpent! 
There did not appear to be any humiliation— any 
acknowledgment — any contrition — any supplica- 
tion for mercy! Awful perversity 7 If they had 
fallen upon their faces, and rent the air with their 
cries, or groans had suppressed their utterance, and 
anguish and horror unutterable had been depict in 
their countenance, would it have been unbecoming 
the dreadful occasion/ But sin had not only blinded 
their minds, but hardened their hearts, and stiffen- 
ed their necks, and brazened their faces, and cov- 
ered them with the cloak of the most daring impiety 7 
They threw the blame upon their MAKER — upon 
the WORKS OF HIS HANDS! 'Tremble, 
heavens! And be astonished, O earth!* 

SECTION V. 

OBSERVATIONS UPON THE ADMISSION OF 
MORAL EVIL INTO THE UNIVERSE. 

The Narrative continued — Exterior consequences* 
1st — Let us consider the voiee of reason.* 

* The voice of right-reason, in pronouncing judg- 
ment according to truth, founded upon inoontro* 
yertible testimonty. 



104 CHRISTIAN** GUIDE 

•ItfGRATE—he had of mt all that he could have.'— 

Milton. 

As a moral agent, did he not have all that he could 

—should — ought to have? 

'Such I created all the etherial powers — 
Freely they stood who stood — and fell who 

•Man is to man the sorest — sorest III f 

Man falls by man, if finally he falls!' — Young. 

2nd— Let us duly consider— THE VOICE OF 
REVELATION. 

'Lo, this only have I found,' (this is the result of my 
long and patient investigation of this all-important 
subject,) 'that God made man perfect; but that he 
hath sought out many inventions.' — Eccl. vii. 29. 

'My people would not hearken to my voice.' — 
Ps. lxxxi. 11. 

'Yea, they despised the pleasant land; they be- 
lieved not h"»s word.' — Ps. cvi. 24. 

'Let us labor, therefore, to enter into that rest,' 
(the heavenly Canaan,) ' lest any man fall after the 
same example of unbelief.' — Heb. iv. 11. 

'Come,* and let lis return unto the Lord.' — Hos. 
vi. 1. 

* Mai. iv. 1-2. Zech. xiii. 1; and ix. 11-12. 
Mieah vi. 6-8. 2 Cor. v. 17-21. Rom. v. 1-2, and 
vifi. 12. Eph. v. 12. 



AND GUARDIAN. 105 

*0 Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; fbrthou 
hast fallen by thine iniquity. ' — Hos. xiv. 1 . 

•'Wherefore will ye plead with me? Ye all have 
transgressed against me, saith the Lord.' — Jer.ii. 
29. 

* Wherefore, I will yet plead with you, saith the 
Lord, and with your children's children, will I 
plead.'— J er. ii. 9. 

Let us, therefore, look at the children's children; 
and let us ask ourselves, doth not the Lord thus 
plead with us? And is not 'every mouth stopped,' 
and is 'not the whole world guilty before God!' — • 
Horn. hi. 19. And hence we are led to consider a 
question which has been brought forward times 
without number, and which, abstract from all spec- 
ulation, involves the most solemn and momentous 
considerations. Why was moral evil admitted into 
the universe? We reply, because the eternal 
I AM knew that it would comport with his attri- 
butes and perfections — that it would comport with 
the appellations-Crea/or— Father — Preserver — Ben" 
efactor — that it would comport with the eternal dis- 
play of his infinite benevolence, truth and love, 
justice and mercy! We are satisfied,* therefore, 
under this head, as well as in every other depart- 
ment of this work, with the general declarations of 

f See appeal* 



106 -christian's guids 

the sovereign and immutable Jehovah-(Ps. IxxtuI 
5 ) — with the annunciations of his 'holy and righte- 
ous law,' Rom. vii. 12; and with the invitations, and 
promises, and precepts of 'the everlasting gospel.' 
Rev. xiv. 6. For he hath declared to us, that 'his 
ways are equal, 1 Ez. xviii. 25 — that 'he will not lay 
upon men more than is right,' Job xxxiv. 23 — that 
*he will judge the world in righteousness,' Acts 
xvii. 31 — and we are assured, that all holy and hap- 
py beings will forever unite in 'singing, Alleluia, 
salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto 
the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his 
judgments.' — Rev. xix. 12. And we are assured, 
that 'he that overcometh' (that every one that over- 
cometh the world, the flesh and the devil,) 'shall 
inherit all things.' — Rev. xxi. 7. And that all who 
overcome their spiritual enemies, 'and mortify the 
<3ceds of the body,' will forever exclaim: 'not unto 
us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name we 
give glory, for thy mercy, and thy truth's sake.' — 
Ps. cxv. Rom. viii. 13. Eph. vi. 12. And that 
they will unite in songs of deliverance — adore the 
riches of divine grace and mercy — and 'sing the 
song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of 
the Lamb, saying, great and marvellous are thy 
works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy 
ways, thou King of saints. Wno shall not fear thee, 
O Lord* and glorify thy name } for thou art holy : 



AND CftTAKDIAK. 107 

for aft nations shall come and worship before thee; 
for thy judgments are made manifest .'—Rev. ■ x-r. 
3-4. And therefore, he hath revealed himself to 
us as 'the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gra- 
cious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness 
and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving 
iniquity, transgression and sin,, and that will by no 
means clear the guilty:' his justice and mercy must 
not be 'stained.' — Ex. xxxiv- 6-7. Hut he is both 
'a just God and a Saviour/ (Is. xlv* 21.) and doth 
declare his righteousness, fr that he might be just,' 
(proving that he is just,) 'and the justifier of him 
who believeth in Jesus.' — Rom. iii. 26. And this 
is announced to us in terms that overwhelm the 
angelic hosts with w r onder and astonishment. 'God 
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not 
perish, but have everlasting life.'— John iii. 16. And 
hence we are assured, that he 'is long-suffering; to* 
ws-ward, not willing that any should perish, but 
t»hat all should come to repentance.— 2 Peter iii. 9. 
It is evident, therefore, that impenitent sinners can-- 
not justify themselves. If I justify myself my own< 
mouth shall condemn me.' — Job ix. 20. Again: 
'God commandeth all men every where to repent.' 
Acts xvii. 30. And 'this is his commandment, that 
we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus- 
Christ.'— 1 John hi. 23. And therefore we ar* 



iOS christian's guide 

assured, that we should 'repent and believe the 
gospel,' (Mark i. 15,) through the.strength of that 
grace which he freely offers to us^ through his 
well-beloved Son. For lie 'will give his Holy 
Spirit to them that ask him,' (Luke xi. 13,) that 
they may believe with that faith which is of the 
operations of his Spirit, (1 Cor. xii. 6-7. Col. ii. 
12,) 'believe with the heart unto righteousness, 
and with the mouth make confession unto salva- 
tion,' (Rom. x. 10.) and 'worship him in spirit and 
in truth.* — John iv. 24. Ez. xxxvi. 31. 

But if not, whither shall we go? What shall we 
do? Ez. xxii. 14. * * * But divine mercy is 
still (astonishing condescension! — still more aston- 
ishing forbearance!) proclaimed to us. And there- 
fore, 

'To-day attend his voice, 
Nor dare provoke his rod.' 

Lest he depart from thee — lest he give the up for- 
ever. 'My Spirit shall not always strive with man.* 
Gen. vi. 3. And therefore, *a«k, and it shall be 
given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it 
shall be opened unto you.' — Mat. vii. 7. What 
more could we require? Require? What do we 
deserve? * * * Are we not sinners ? 'All 
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.' 
Rom. iil- 23. What, then, is the language of be-» 



AND GUARDIAN. 109 

Severs? 'Being justified freely by his grace — 
through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: 
whom God hath set forth to be propitiation, through 
faith in his blood* to declare his righteousness for 
the remission of sins that are past, through the for- 
bearance of God.'— Rom. iii. 24-25. And should 
sinners despise the goodness, and forbearance, and 
long-suffering of God, not knowing or believing, 
that the goodness of God leadeth them to repent- 
ance? — Horn. ii. 4. We repeat, therefore, that 
every mouth is stopped, and that the whole world 
is guilty before God. — Rom. iii. 19. And yet sal- 
vation is freely offered to every penitent sinner, 
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. — Acts xr\. 
31. 'Wherefore he saith, awake, thou thatsleepest, 
and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee 
light.'— Eph. v. 14. And therefore, 'flee from the 
wrath to come'— 'lay hold upon the hope set before 
you in the gospel' — 'lay hold of eternal life. 5 If 
you do not, what is now your condition, and what 
will be your condition forever? And what is the 
condition of all impenitent sinners? 'They are 
without excuse.'— Horn. i. 20. For, 'say unto them, 
as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in 
the death of the wicked; but that the wicked should 
turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from 
your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Is- 
rael.'— Ez. xxxiii. 11. 'Yet the children of thy 



110 christian's GTTIM 

people say, the way of the Lord is not equal/— Ez. 
xxxiii. 20, and xviii. 23. And it has been often 
asked, 'did not God know that our first parents 
would sin against him?' Most assuredly— he knew 
all things.'— Acts xv. 18. 'Why r then,' it has again 
been asked, 'did he create them ?'— Rev. iv. 11. 
'And why did he admit moral evil into the world F 
Dan. iv.35. To these questions we have already 
substantially replied; and the sacred volume replies 
in detail! 'But/ says the objector, 'I do not com- 
prehend * how the admission of moral evil into the 
world comports with infinite goodness and mercy.' 
And are there not many other things which thou 
dost not comprehend, but which thou dost not, 
therefore, disbelieve? And wilt thou not be consis- 
tent? Thou surely wouldst not impeach the Al- 
mighty !— Job xxxiv. 10. Is he not holy and wise, 
and just, and good?— rs. cxlv. 17. What does oup 
reason say to us? * * * We affirm,- that right 
reason accords with revelation! — Rom. xh\ 1. But 
if thou dost not believe the authenticated and con- 
firmed revelation from God 5 the treasury of wis- 
dom and knowledge which he has imparted to us; 
how wilt thou account for the fall of man, and the 
subsequent condition of the human family, for so 
many thousand years, and for all the judgments 

* See supplementary notes. I. 



AND GTJARBIAN. Ill 

which hare been inflicted upon our guilty world, 
and for all the operations (shall we not say so? 1 ) of an 
all-wise" and just and gracious providence ?— Job 
xxxviii.3. Bring forward thy STRONG REA- 
SONS! But all that have been brought forward— 
*the thousand* and one arguments'— have been an- 
swered more than a thousand and one times, and 
have fallen before the force of truth— mighty truth 
— times without number! Naked facts alone dis- 
prove them! But if thou dost not believe — what? 
That the Almighty is wise, and holy, and just, and 
good * * * * But we recoil from the idea 
with horror! Is it possible that thou canst entertain 
such an idea for a moment? Perhaps thou wouldst 
not avow it. What then? What dost thou mean 
by the assertion, *I do not comprehend how the 
admission of sin into the world, and the present 
condition of the human family, can comport with 
the declarations of divine goodness and mercy?' 
What is the import of this assertioti? Or does it 
cover some secret idea, still lurking in the mind? 

Let us, therefore, ascend to the acme of reason/ 
And now we inquire, art thou a moral agent? Dost 
thou not choose or refuse, like or dislike, approve 
or condemn ? Of this thou art assured . We appeal 
to thy own consciousness! Now, if we should say 

* See supplementary note 3. 

ft* 



113 christian's guide 

to thee, thou hast not the power of choice, *nd 
thou canst not distinguish between right and wrong, 
nor, consequently, judge between man and man, 
if we should say so to thee, wouldst thou not be 
offended — justly offended? Nay, more, wouldst 
thou not be shocked, and deem it an insult to thy. 
understanding? * * * It must be obvious, 
therefore, that thou wouldst not GIVE UP thy 
free agency, and become A MERE MACHINE, 
alike devoid of praise and blame! Such an idea is 
contrary to reason, and therefore the mind revolts 
from it! And it is evidently contrary to ever?/ cor- 
rect idea of a period of probation for eternity ! What 
follows? That man, as a free agent, and a proba- 
tioner for eternity, was able to stand, yet free to 
fall! "Was there, then, injustice in permitting him 
to fall — in all&wing him to exercise his free agency 
— in not depriving him of that power, the depriva- 
tion of which, in THY OWN CASE, would make 
thee shudder? See Deut. xxx 19. Ez. xxxiii. 7 . 
Lam. iii. 38. Amcsiv. 11-12. 

W T e shall now, in this place, and for the purpose 
of giving prominency to the important question 
before us, consider the punishment immediately 
inflicted upon Adam and Eve, after their transgres- 
sion, preceded by the sentence passed upon the 
tempter, the application and consequences of 
whieji will be considered in the course of our in? 



AND GUARDIAN, 113 

yesti gallon. 'And* the Lord God said unto the 
serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art 
curse*! above all cattle, and above every beast of 
the field; upon thy belly shall thou go, and dust 
shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: and I will put 
enmity between thee and the woman, and between 
thy seed-J- and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, 
and thou shalt bruise his heel.' We now read, 
*Unto the woman he said, 1 will greatly multiply 
thy sorrow and conception; in sorrow shalt thou 
bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy 
husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto 
Adam he said, because thou hast hearkened unto 
the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of 
which I commanded thee, saying, thou shalt not eat 
of it, cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow 
shalt thou eat of eat it all the days of thy life; thorns 
also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and 
thou shalt eat the herb of the field: in the sweat of 
thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto 
the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust 
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.' 

* See supplementary note 3. 

f See John viii. 44. Eph. ii. 2. 1 John in. 8 10. 
and 5, and v. 19. See, also, the following texts, as 
affording a striking illustration, Gal. iv. 29, John 
xy. 18. Rev.xii. 17. 

aS 



114 christian's guide 

We here have the nature of the punishment be* 
fore us. Sorrow — the ground cursed; and the con- 
sequences, 'thorns and thistles shall it bring forth 
unto thee;' and the very peculiar character of the 
termination of man's mortal career, 'dust thou art, 
and unto dust shalt thou return :' thou shalt die! Sor- 
row and sin are inseperable; it cannot be otherwise : 
and for holy, wise and just reasons, it should not be 
otherwise/ And if we cannot say amen, to this in- 
ference, it is because our heart is not right in the 
sight of God. For whatever may be our condition 
«— we should pass zjust and faithful sentence upon 
ourselves/ It is so, and should always be so, with 
regard to the usages of every well-organized Chris- 
tian society: the reasons are too obvious tp be 
brought forward in this place. Rut that we may 
have the most clear and vivid perception of the 
nature and consequences of sin — let us look at and 
contemplate the CHARACTER OF GOD! His 
purity, holiness and consequent hatred of sin — 
infinitely transcend our utmost conception/ Thou 
art holy, 'Othou that inhabitest the praises of Isra* 
el.' — Ps. xxii. 3. 'Thou, even thou, art to be fear- 
ed; and who may stand in thy sight when thou art 
angry?' — Hab. i. 13. And what does the Lord say 
of iniquity > 'Your iniquities have separated be- 
tween you and your God. '—Is. lix. 2. And how 
f^loes God express his abhorrence of iniquity, of sin, 



AND GUARDIAN- 115 

of moral evil of eveiy kind ? 'O, do not this abom- 
inable thing that I hate.' — Jer. xliv. 4. Rev. xxi. 8. 
And what were the feelings and emotions of even 
a man of like passions and perceptions with our- 
selves, when he was favored with such a view of 
the divine glory, as was adapted to his finite senses 
and moral vision ? The answer is comprised in the 
vision itself. 'I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, 
high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six 
rings; with twain he covered his face, and with 
twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did 
fly. And one cried unto another, and said, holy, 
holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is 
full of his glory.* 'Then said I, wo is me, for I am 
undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I 
dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for 
mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.* 
Is. vi. 15. Does it not follow that it is a dreadful 
thing to sin against God? And hence we read that 
'God is angry with the wicked every day.'-Ps. vii. 
11. feut let us also look at and contemplate the 

MORAL GOVERNMENT OF GOD the MORAL GOVERN- 
MENT of the universe! This is a theme of incon- 
ceivable magnitude and importance — a theme that 
does engage, and no doubt forever will engage the 
hearts and minds, and most profound attention and 
reverential consideration of every order of holy and 
g4 



116 CHRISTIAN S GUIDE 

happy beings! And can WE be txdift-krt^t to 
SUCH A THEME? We, who have been, if we 
are not still, rebels against that moral government ? 
We, towards whom goodness and mercy, the mos| 
astonishing and over-whelming, have been so long 
and signally displayed? Suhlly it caxkot be? Is 

IT POSSIBLE?* 

But what does the moral government of Deity 
involve? Whatever concerns his holiness and jus- 
tice, as well as his goodness and mercy; and what- 
ever concerns the holiness and happiness of un- 
numbered millions, and, by natural consequence, 
whatever concerns his eternity and immensity; 
whatever concerns all the dispensations of his prov- 
idence, and every pulsation, every motion, every 
thought, word and action of all his intelligent and 
rational creatures! Now, reader, look at sin, against 
a God of infinite purity and holiness — look at its 
consequences, as committed against his moral gov- 
ernment — hurling defiance at the moral sceptie of 
the universe — aiming to subvert filial affection, holy 
love, cheerful obedience, order, harmony, peace 
and concord! And to produce, in their stead, (»p~ 
palingidea!) evils infinitely more direful than ciu> 
he conceived by any created intelligence! See the 
perry-hearted monster vice! — thus opposed to 

* See P.s. Ixxxix. 14. Rev. xv. 3, Rom- iii. 4. 



AND GUARDIAN. 1 I T 

Virtue! See hatred — hatred to God; fmost horri- 
ble idea/ J see anarchy, mis-rule, fierce contention, 
malignant passions, rage, fury, destruction! See, 
in a word, REBELLION in all its most dread* 

FUL AND MOST AGGRAVATED FORMS ! And HOW 

turn to the garden of Eden — now look at the pun- 
ishment inflicted on our first parents: and now ask 
thyselfj art thou surprised that sin produced sorrow 
— that the ground was cursed for man's sake — that 
it was the cause, and is still the cause of evils innu- 
merable — that it brought 'death into the world and 
all our wo?' — Rom. v. 12, and vi.23. Ez. xviii. 4. 
Kom. vii. 24-25. Heb.ii. 2. 

It follows, therefore, beyond the possibility of a 
truly rational doubt, that the God of light and love, 
truth and justice — the Universal Parent — the mor- 
al governor of all worlds, could not allow sin to 
pass unpunisued, consistently with his purity and 
holiness, justice and truth, and the rectitude impli- 
ed IN TilE ADMINISTRATION OF HIS MORAL GOV- 

krnment! We might justly suppose, that the 
Almighty would rather dissolve the universe in a 
moment, with all its orders of created intelligences, 
than to allow his moral government to be sul- 
lied for an instant! <A God of truth, and with- 
out iniquity — just and right is he. J Hence we are 
Jed to inquire: 'wherefore doth a living man com-? 

©5 



113 christian's guide 

4 

plain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let 
us search and try our ways, and turn again to the 
Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto 
God in the heavens.* And let us, therefore, for 
our further instruction, again look upon the exterior 
consequences of the first transgression! 

The ground was cursed as an awful proof of the 
divine displeasure! 'Briers and thorns shall it bring 
forth unto thee;' a standing memorial — a moral bea- 
con, to warn man of the fearful consequences of trans- 
gression! 'What shall we then say to these things?' 
'I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I 
have sinned against him.' Micah vii. 9. For I 
know — I am assured, that *the judgments of the 
Lord are true and righteous altogether.' And there- 
fore, reader, we thus 'vindicate eternal providence, 
and thus justify the ways of God to man.' Dan. iv. 
37. 2 Tim. iv. 8. Ps. xix. 9. 

"We proceed. W r e have seen, that Ike sentence 
was- pronounced, and then man was expelled from 
Paradise! 'The Lord God sent him forth from the 
garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he 
was taken.' 



AND GUARDIAN. 11$ 



SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ILLUSTRATING 
THE PRECEDING OBSERVATIONS. 

1st. It must be evident, from the very nature of 
thing's, that it is utterly and absolutely impossible 
for a finite being to comprehend the infinite mind! 
•Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou 
find out the Almighty to perfection?' Job xi. 7. If 
thou shouldst continually progress in the intellec- 
tual and moral scale of being, yet thou wouldst for- 
ever be, in this incon:eivably important sense of 
the expression, at an infinite distance from Deity! 
Yet man, the creature of yesterday, would arraign 
his Maker before a FINITE TRIBUNAL, and say 
unto him, 'what dost thou?' Why hast thou mado 
me thus?' Is it not 'horrible, horrible, most horri- 
ble?' Is. iii. 9, and v. 16. Job iv. 17, and xxxiv. 
10. 

2d Although so much has been written and said 
against the Christian religion, yet the whole might 
be comprised in a very small compass. The quin- 
tessence of many large volumes, might be com- 
pressed within the space of a penny pamphlet! 
What shall we say to this prominent fact* 'Should 
not the multitude of words be answered, and should 
a man full of talk be justified?' Should words be 
like wind? Eph. iv. 14. And might we not say t(* 



120 christian's guide 

infidels, with the utmost truth and propriety, why 
si.ould a man 'darken counsel by words without 
knowledge?' Job xxxviii. 2. And still more 'how 
forcible are right words, but what doth your argu- 
ing reprove?' Job vi. 25. It is a lamentable fact, that 
in many of the new settlements,* infidels are to be 
found, who have made themselves masters of one 
or more infidel productions; such as those of Vol- 
ney, Hume, Carlisle, Paine, Herbert, Bailey, Bry- 
don, Gibbon, Shaftsbury, Bolingbroke or Voltaire; 
and have exultingly brought forward old stereo- 
typed objections, which have been answered times 
without number, as though they had just discover- 
ed them; and to their disgrace — to their shame and 
confusion be it recorded, that they have, in many 
cases, succeeded in deceiving the ignorant — the 
plain and unlettered, those who had seen but little 
of the world, and read less; and they have been 
looked up to as great men, as oracles to their res- 
pective neighborhoods* But how little they ap- 
pear in the light of true reason, and the pure and 
unsullied light of revelation! These are the 'scoffers 
of the last days.' 2 Peter iii. 3; 'by reason of whom 
the way of truth is evil spoken of,' 2 Peter ii. 2; 
these are they, who, while they 'promise others 

* The facts are numerous; and the impressions 
snade by them cannot be forgotten! 



AKD GUARDlAlf. 121 

liberty, are themselves the servants of corruption,' 
2 Peter ii. 19, and while they 'turn away many from 
the truth, wrest the scriptures to their owar 
destruction!' 2 Peter iii. 16. Christian parents, 
will you not train up your children in the fear of 
the Lord, instruct them in season and out of season, 
with meekness and condescension to their capaci- 
ties, with the utmost patience and perseverance, 
and with unceasing prayer to the Father of lights 
for his blessing upon your efforts for their spiritual 
and eternal welfare, that tlfey may not go in 'the 
way of transgressors' — that they may not 'sit in the 
seat of the scornful'— that they may not 'bring your 
grey hairs with sorrow to the grave?' And will you 
not avail yourselves of Sunday schools— of infant 
schools — of bible classes, those great nurseries to the 
church! Those great barriers to infidelity? 

3d. As the serpent, whatever might have been 
his original form and appearance, was evidently 
under the agency of the arch enemy of immortal 
souls, who can make himself appear as an angel of 
light, and who often endeavors to make 'the wrong 
appear the better reason;' so we need not inquire, 
as a matter of consequence, how he conversed with 
Evd — how he effected his purpose, &c. It is man- 
ifestly unnecessary: the facts are before us; and of 
his power of communication, by whatever means, 
there should certainly be no question. How does 



\%% CHRISTIAN'S GUIDE 

he now operate upon the human mind? 2 Cor. xi, 
14. How does he now tempt immortal souls? Mat, 
xiii. 39. But shall we be deceived by him! Rev. 
xii. 9. 1 Peter v. 8. 

'Deceived by subtle snares of hell, 

Adam our head, our Father, fell; 
When satan, in the serpent hid, 
Propos'd the fruit that God forbid!* 
Thereeore, 

'Fly from the false deceiver's tongue, 

Ye sons of Adam, fly; 
Our parents found the snare too strong^ 

Nor should the children try!' 



SECTION TI. 
REDEMPTION. 

♦Asm was the ransom paid?' 

'The ransom was paid down; the fund of heaven,. 
Heaven's inexhaustible, exhausted fund, 
Amazing, and amazed, pour'd forth the price, 
All price beyond: though curious to compute, 
Arch-angels failed to c?st the mighty sum: 
Its value vast, ungrasped by minds create, 
Forever bides, and glows, in the Supreme.* 



AND GUARDIAN. 123 

We now behold man exiled from Paradise; yet 
he was not left to be 'a wretched wanderer.' No 
doubt he cast *many a long* and lingering look be- 
hind.' -How blessing's brighten when they take 
their flight.' Farewell, ye blissful scenes! Fare- 
well, ye lovely bowers of sweet repose! Farewell! 
Farewell! FOREVER! 'How sad and sickening! 
How dreary earth appears! Oh! what a CON- 
TRAST! 

•What hast thou done, foul monster sin? 

Parent of woes of all dimensions! 
But for thee, sorrow had never been, 

All cursed, all nox'ous thing!' 

We shall now, more distinctly and particularly, 
view man as a subject of the moral government of 
Deity: our principles are before us. 

1st. The attributes and perfections of Deity, 
necessarily involve fixed and Immutable principles, 
and by natural consequence, they necessarily in- 
volve whatever is implied and expressed in a due 

RELATION OF BOTH THINGS AND PERSONS.' Hence 

the correlative import of the all-comprehensive 
terms— CREATOR— CREATURE. And hence, 
by a PARITY OF REASON, the sum and sub- 
stance OF ALL MORAL OBLIGATION ! It follows, 

therefore, beyond the possibility of a rational doubt$ 
and to the preclusion of all rational misapprehend 



124 christian's gttieb 

sion, that man — that every rational creature is, and" 
forever must be, under a natural, necessary and 
unalienable obligation to love the Lord God with 
all his heart and mind, soul and strength: and for 
the same reason — the relation of rational creatures 
to each other, as well as to their Maker, to love his 
FELLOW CREATURES as himself! This is 
the way to proceed upon right lines, and not 
upon curves; to be guided by truth, and not by 
error — by reality, and not by imagination! 
And this accords with right reason! 

It must be evident, therefore, that it is danger- 
ous to diverge from first principles! Yet man 
is prone to speculate, rather than to reason— to im- 
agine, rather than to realize ! What a strange per- 
versity, and what a lamentable proof of man's fallen 
nature/ 'Vain man would be wise, though man be 
born like a wild ass's colt.' He would be 'wise in 
his own conceit.* And what can be expected when 
he has diverged from right principles? Is there not 
'a lie in his right hand ? * Hence scepticism, mate* 
rialism, latitudinarianism and all the anti-rational 
theories, barren and inflated speculations of every 
hue and form, which have so long deluged the 
world! Are there, then, no fixed principles? 
Is there NO SURE MORAL STANDARD? Are 
we left to float ?t RANDOM? And is there no 
anchor? And no safe moorings? And is it of n q 



ANi) GUARDIAN. 125 

CONSEQUENCE WHIT A MAN BELIEVES? Is it not 

passing strange, that such ideas should have ever 
obtained currency in the world, and that in the 

FACE OF REASON AND REVELATION? Alld yet they 

are very common. So true it is, that the 'world 
hy wisdom knew not God.' 'Where is the wise?* 
Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this 
world? 

But as we have seen, we are not left to wild con- 
jecture—to be tempest-tossed upon the waves and 
billows of uncertainty— to be forever in 'wandering 
mazes lost!' * * * Beason—REY ELATION 
—ye constitute our theme ! — to you we return ; 
and guided and guarded by our all-wise Creator* 
we fear not the attacks of the many headed monster 
error; we fear not the sophistry of a mis-named 
philosophy^ we fear not the combined armies of the 
aliens! Truth is mighty, and will— must prevail! 
And we have seen in what light we view reason, 
and what is it, but the right exercise of our intel- 
lectual powers— in our inquiry after truth— in our 
Comparing things with each other—iri whatever is 
implied in the natural, correct and consecutive pro- 
cess of the mind, by which it arrives at satisfactory 
conclusions-conclusions that accord with the nature 
of things! 

• 1 Cor. i. 20. Is. v. 21. Job xu 12, 



126 christian's guide 

'Pompous soris of reason, idolized 
And vilified at once; of reason dead, 
Then deified, as monarchs were of old: 
Wrong 1 not the Christian ; think not reasoi? 

yours. 
'Tis reason our Great Master holds so dear; 
* 'Tis reason's injured rights his wrath resents; 
'Tis reason's voice obey'd his glories crown; 
To give lost reason life, he pour'd his own.' 

To right reason, therefore, in opposition to rea- 
Bonr-improperly so called— we adhere/ But we do 
not, we will not put reason in the place of revela- 
Tioy---the lesser light in the place of the greater! 
There is no necessity for going from one extreme 
to another. Is there not a happy medium? We 
consider reason as the hand-maid to revelation; 
and we could no more put reason in the place of 
revelation, than we could put a finite mind in the 
place of the infinite mind. In whatever, there- 
fore, reason is deficient, revelation comes to our 
air! Here is no contradiction, but, on the 
contrary, a most happy union! When the pupil 
is taught by his master, he does not renounce his 
reason. It is by its due exercise, that he compre_ 
hends his master's instruction. It might appear 
superfluous to remark, that there is an immense 
disparity between the instruction imparted by a 
master, and the instruction received from the S¥- 



AND GUARDIAN. 127 

theme Being! But a correct idea of instruction, 
with the due exercise of reason, is conveyed to the 
mind: and we know that there is a most happy gra- 
dation in ail orders of being; and as the weaker look 
to the stronger for aid, so the ignorant look to the 
enlightened for instruction. So, therefore, should 
man, the creature, look to God, the Creator^ for the 
•wisdom which is profitable to direct.' 'Trust in 
the Lord with all thy heart; and lean not to thy own 
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, 
and he shall direct thy paths.' And should it not 
he our prayer, 'what I know not, teach thou me?' 
As we have duly considered the great difference — 
the striking contrast between the reception of a 
revelation, or any part of a revelation, which is 
beyond the comprehension of our reason, but which: 
is solemnly attested and confirmed, and whatever 
is contrary to our reason, so it is not necessary to 
adduce any more arguments in this place. We 
have proceeded upon correct principles; and we 
shall endeavor to clear our way as we prosecute 
our course. And we have seen, and shall still see, 
and continue to see, that light reason does and will 
lead us to revelation, and that whatever is ne- 
cessary to be known by us, in order to our present 
and eternal happiness, is indeed clear— iull— - 

LUMINOUS ! 

Now, reader ? we again turn to our first parents? 
Ml 



f%8 christian's GUIDE s 

we again see them expelled from Paradise! What 
is their condition? They have violated the eternal 
and immutable mitral law of the universe/ That law 
which said to them, this do and thou shall LIVE* 
but if thou dost transgress thou shalt DIE! What 
follows? An all-important question— a question 
that might involve the most awful suspense! Why, 
then, was not death immediately inflicted? We 
answer, because mercy interposed ! But how? Justice 
must be maintained; tke divine law fulfilled; all the 
divine attributes harmonized! Can reason bring 
forward, or even propsse terms and means of at- 
tonement and reconciliationt But let us look at the 
inconceivable magnitude of the offence! An offence 
committed against infinite light and love, and while 
encircled by peace and joy, and amidst the unut- 
terably rich and multiplied display of infinite 
wisdom and power — varined profusion of whatever 
was 'pleasant to the sight and good for food,' a 
lovely paradise for a HOME, the world itself for a 
diversified range, 'dominion over the fish of the 
sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every 
living thing that moveth upon the earth:' 'And God 
blessed them.' What a consummation of the whole! 
'Whom he blesseth is blessed* indeed! 'His bless- 
ing maketh rich; and he addeth no sorrow with it.* 
And they had continual access to him, and could 
hold continual communion wi£h him, and ccral^ 



A3TD GTTABDIAN. 129 

receive from him a continual supply for all their 
truly filial desires, hopes and expectations! What 
more could they hope for — expect— desire? Should 
they not have seen, and known, and realized, and 
have virtually sung, with the liveliest emotions of 
gratitude : 

'God is my all-sufficient good, 

My portion and my choice: 
In him my vast desires are rill'd, 

And all my powers rejoice.' 

Header, we cannot, as depraved and sinful crea- 
tures, or even as believers — regenerated by divine 
grace — form an adequate conception of the holy, 
happy and delightful condition of our first parents, 
before they rebelled against their Maker/ But does 
not OUR comparatively faint and inadequate con- 
ception of their blissful condition, make their un- 
belief, ingratitude and transgression, appear to us 
in the blackest colors? How, then, did they appear 
in the view of the holy and happy beings? And 
how did they appear in the view of their Maker? 
And now the question again recurs, what could 
reason do, offer or propose? HERE reason is dumb! 
Man could not aton°for his transgression! He had 
violated the DIVINE LAW : and he could not 
satisfy the unalterable claims of DIVINE JUS- 
TICE! And the law might be figuratively — but 
h2 



130 CHRISTIANS GUIDE 

77206'/ truly and most solemnly — beyond the power 
of human conception, represented, as taking" him 
by the hand, and saying* to him, in awfully terrific 
tones, 'PAY ME THAT THOU OWEST!' We 
can proceed no further! We need not! We. 
must look to another source — an infinite source! 

'What but the fathomless of thought divine, 
Could labcr such expedient from despair, 
And rescue both'— both justice and mercy I 
'Both rescue! — both exalt! 
Oh, how are both exalted by the deed! 
The wondrous deed! or shall I call it more* 
A wonder in omnipotence itself!' 

'Not thus, our infidels— th ? eternal draw — 
A God all o'er, consummate, absolute, 
Full orb'd, in his u hole round of rays complete; 
They set at odds heaven's jarring attributes^ 
And, with one's excellence, another wound:; 
Maim heaven's perfection, break its equal 

beams, 
Bid mercy triumph over God himself, 
Undeified by their opprobrious praise*' 
A God all mercy— is a God unjust.* 

But now, reader, Deity comes FonwAwn! Sea 
divine justice and mercy equally balanced! Sea 
divine goodness expanded! See the' astonishing 



AND GUARDIAN. 131 

plan of divine wisdom unfolded! See the love of 
the Father, beaming in the face of his co-EauAi 
and co-eternal Sox! See — in a word — see, (and 
wonder, and love, and adore,) the God of love, 
who 'SO loved the world, that he gave his only 
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 
should not perish, but have everlasting- life.' 

''Thou most indulgent, most tremendous power! 
Still more tremendous; for thy wondrous love! 
That arrns, with awe more awful, thy commands; 
And foul transgression dips in seven fold guilt; 
How our hearts tremble at thy love immense! 
In love immense,, inviolably just! 
Thou, rather than thy justice should be stain c d, 
Didst stain the cross; and work of wonders far 
The greatest, that thy dearest far might bleed.' 

Here, indeed, and most emphatically, 'mercy and 
truth are met together; righteousness and peace 
Lave kis&ef each other.' Well did a distinguished 



I 



>oet sav: 



'Part of thy name divinely stands, 
. On all thy creatures writ, 
They show the labors of thy hands, 

Or impress of thy feet; 
But when we view thy strange design 

To save rebellious worms, 



132 christian's guide 

Where vengeance and compassion join 

In their divinest forms: 
Here the whole Deity is known, 

Nor does a creature guess— 
Which of the glories brightest shone, 

The justice or the grace.' 

But both shone ineffably — both were unspeakably 
exalted! — both proclaimed, 'glory to God in the 
highest, and on earth peace, good will towards 
man.' What, then, are thy emotions, reader? Art 
thou unmoved? Unmoved at a scene which over- 
whelmed heaven with astonishment! The 'angels 
desire to look into these things.' 

Surely 'every heart should bound, and e\cry 
bosom glow,' with the most ardent and never-ceas- 
ing love and gratitude! 

'What heart of stone, but glows at thoughts like 

these? 
Such contemplations mount us, and should mount 
The mind still higher; nor ever glance on man, 
Unraptured — uninftamed.' 

'Redemption! 'twas creation more sublime; 

Redemption! 'twas the labor of the skies.' 

A truth so strange (so great!) 'twere bold to 

think it true, 
If not far bolder still to disbtlievt! 



AND GUARDIAN. 4f$3 

And the 'well-beloved of the Father,' 'who had 
been always with him,' 'the brightness of his glory, 
and the express image of his person;' descended 
from the' realms of bliss — cfisrobed himself of hk 
uncreated glory, and took upon him our nature — 
clotheoV himself with humanity — -humbled himself 
to be born of a virgin — submitted to ©very indignity 
—GAVE HIMSELF FOR OUR SINS— died the 

IGNOMINIOUS DEATH OF THE GROS9 ! But Willi* 

he 'emptied himself of 'his effulgent glory , he most 
strikingly displayed the glokx ot hii cuiace! 

*The cross, the manger And the throne, 
Are big with glories yet unknown.' 

And now we proceed to the 4eve3opmenA* of 
this blissful theme. 

1st. The original promise &T a 'Saviour was im- 
plied in the words, 'and I will put enmity between 
thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her 
seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise 
his heel.' The Lord Jesus Christ was 'manifested, 
that he might destroy the works of the devil' But 

* We would not be misunderstood : by the word 
development^ therefore, we simply mean what we 
have already expressed, a clear, full and luminous 
exhibition of the essential doctrines and precepts of 
the Christian religion. Who could, in any other 
arespect, develope the plan of redemption? 

H4 



134 ©HPJSTIAn's GUIDE 

the arch enemy of immortal souls followeth hard 
after them! And how many are overtaken, entram- 
melled and 'led captive by him at his will!' And 
those who through divine grace resist him, are still 
hard beset! 

'He worries whom he can't devour, 
With a malicious joy.' 

2d. A promise of a Saviour — of the Messiah, is 
also implied in the well-known language of Jacob, 
pronounce d while bl< ssjng his sons, and informing 
them, by the spirit of prophecy, of what should 
befai them in the last days: 'the sceptre shall not 
depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from between 
his feet, unti] Sh;L>h come; and unto him shall the 
gathering of the people be.' The Christ or Mes- 
siah sh: 11 be sent to them; and they shall come un- 
to him, as their pecxe-maker, and as their great 
spiritual physician! And the Messiah was anointed 
by his Filth er for his mediatorial office, 'an high 
priest forever, after *he order of Melchisedec:' not 
having 'beginning of days nor end of life; 5 not 
reckoned like other priests, who were 'made 
priests according to the law of a carnal command- 
ment, but after the power of an endless life.' 'He 
hath all power committed unto him in heaven and 
in earth.' Hence he is an all-sufficient Saviour* 
'Thou shalt call his njmie JESU$„j for he shall 



AND GUARDIAN. 135 

save his people from their sins.' While listening 
to his voice, the spiritually dead, new life receive! 
*He is able to save to the uttermost all who come 
unto God by him.' The Messiah was also promised 
to Abraham: 'in thee shall all the families of the 
earth be blessed.' Hence we read, that the Lord 
Jesus Christ was 'made of the seed of David' — a 
descendant of Abraham — 'according to the flesh:' 
and as 'Abraham believed God,' and is called 'the 
father of the faithful;' so all true believers in the 
Lord Jesus Christ, are called the children of faith- 
ful Abraham, 'for ye are all the children of God, 
by faith in Christ Jesus.' And again: 'if ye be 
Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs ac- 
cording to the promise.' And 'Abraham rejoiced 
to see Christ's day: and he saw it, and was glad.' 
Reader, have you rejoiced to see Christ's day? 
Have you seen it with the eye of faith, and are you 
glad? If so, 'as ye have received Christ Jesus the 
Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, 
and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, 
abounding therein with thanksgiving.' If not, 

REMAIN NO LONGER A STRANGER TO THE GREA^T 

salvation ! Flee for refuge to the hope set before 
you in the gospel. 

But we again proceed. From the foregoing 
quotations, we clearly perceive the universality of 
ike promise/ Hence we infer, that it doe3 not ap- 

h5 



136 christian's guide 

pesr necessary to quote many passages: it is our 
endeavor to be as explicit as possible. We no\T 
come to consider the nature and character of the 
great points of contrast before us — the condition of 
Adam hfore tlieja.ll> and his condition after the fall, 
when salvation was revealed to him, through our 
Lord Jesus Christ. The former is termed the 

COVEWABT OF WORKS.' the latter THE COVEISTAKT OF 

grace. And as we have seen, the former says this 
do: and thou shall lite: but if tbou dost transgress, 
thou shalt die. But the latter says, 'helieve in the 
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.' With 
regard to the former covenant, we have seen the 
natural and moral obligation of our first parents, to 
love and serve the Lord their God. The divine 
law was written on their hearts; and the outward 
test of their obedience was before them. Good 
and evil, life and death, were in full view? But let 
us look at the parties, A holy, wise and good God, 
their Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, Lawgiver and 
Judge: and holy and happy beings, in the enjoyment 
of the divine favor , and furnished with every requisite 
for obedience. And let us look at the solemn seals 
of the covenant. On the one hand, the tree of life? 
©n the other hand, the tree of 0ie knowledge of good 
and evil: and Paradise itself might be said to bear 
witness to the solemn transaction. Now, as life was 
to be the eonsequence of obedience, so beath was 



AND GUARDIAN. 137 

to be the penalty inflicted in case of disobedience! 
Here, then, we have a clear and distinct view of the 
nature and character of the covenant of works. 
But what are we to understand by life, inthe all- 
comprehensible sense of the expression ? We re- 
ply, that from the very nature of the injunction, it 
implies continuance in life — to live forever/ in case 
of obedience: and, by a parity of reasoi, death, 
and continuance in death — to die forever/ m case 
of disobedience. This is, most unquestionably, a 
correct view of the subject, in its natural connec- 
tion: and the inferences are drawn from a correct 
view of fixed and immutable principles/ But what 
are we to understand by a continuance in life, in the 
nil-comprehensible sense of the expression? We an- 
swer, that as it implies — to live forever, so it neces- 
sarily implies — spiritual enjoyment forever/ It fol- 
lows, beyond the possibility of a doubt, that to dU 
forever, necessarily implies spiritual misery forever/ 
l\ the one be true, so is the other: they stand or fall 
together. But 'every word of God is true.' It 
must be evident, therefore, that he will execute Ms 
ihreateningS) as well as perform his promises. And 
'therefore, hearken unto me, ye men of understand- 
ing: far be it from God, that he should do wicked- 
ness; and from the Almighty, that he should com- 
mit iniquity. For the works of a man shall he ren- 
der unto him, and cause every man to find aceord- 
h6 



138 christian's guide 

ing to his ways.' And we are assured, that though 
'clouds and darkness are round about him,' with 
regard to whatever finite minds cannot compre- 
hend, yet, 'justice and judgment form the habita- 
tion of his throne/ 'He sitteth upon his throne 
judging right:' and 'the righteous Lord lovethrigh- 
teousness.' And what is the AWARD of his righ- 
teous judgment? 'The soul that sinneth shall 
die.' 'The wages of sin is death.' 'Whosoever 
shall keep the whole law, and offend in one point,' 
(or with the exception of one point,*) 'he is guilty 
of all.' And again: 'cursed is every one that conj 
tinucth not in all things which are written in the 
b©ok of the law to do them.' Can language be 

* Much has been said and written upon the im- 
port of this phrase — 'one point' — and yet it would 
appear, that the general bearing of the expression 
should preclude misapprehension. It is evidently 
intended to convey the very simple idea, that if any 
individual should endeavor to be very exact in 
every respect but ONE, he would, however strange 
it might appear to him— -MAR THE WHOLE— 
be 'guilty of all.' Thus: if he should break any 
one commandment, he could not love God with ail 
his heart. But God requires all the heart: 'thou 
shaltlove the Lord thy God with all thy heart' 

'And love is the fulfilling' (or keeping) of the 
law.' It follows, that want of love, in any respect, 
or in any point of view, and in any sense of the ex- 
pression, is not the fulfilling or breaking THE 



AND ©ttARDIAir, 1S§ 

more express— more convincing — more positive? 
We appeal to RIGHT REASON! 

We shall next consider the temporal death which 
followed the transgression, although it was not im- 
mediately inflicted. 'By one man sin entered into 
the world, and death by sin, and so death passed 
upon all men, for that all have sinned/ Hence 'it 
is appointed unto all men once to die.* And hence 
the 'moment we begin to live, we begin to die:* 
the seeds of mortality are sown within us. A sad 
and fearful monument of the dreadful conse- 
quences of sin ! Sad and fearful to all who have not 
applied to the Great Physician of sinsick souls to ex- 
tract for and from them, the STING OF DEATH! 
— that thrice horrid monster SIN. Reader, is the 
thought of death sad and painful to thee? Tncu 
must die! How soon thou dost not know? Per- 
haps to-day! Thou knowest not what a day — an 
hour — a moment may bring forth! Therefore, 
NOW—THIS MOMENT prepare to m^tomm 
thy God! — through the strength of divine grace, as 
it is freely imparted, through the merits and media- 
tion of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

LAW, in the abstract and absolute sense of the ex- 
pression! This might be illustrated in a variety of 
respects; but the limits of this work preclude'de-i 
tail, with the exception of its most prominent and 
important bearings. See appendix G. 

h7 



14*0 christian's guide 

But to return to our subject. We have now be- 
fore us a rational and scriptural view of death — tem- 
poral, spiritual and eternal/ Spiritual death — the 
deprivation of the divine favor, and the darkness of 
sin spread over the mind, immediately followed 
the transgression. They endeavored to hide them- 
selves from the Lord God — to palliate their sin — to 
cast the blame upon the Author and Giver of all 
good — their bountiful benefactor ! Can we desire or 
obtain stronger proof of their spiritual death? And we 
have seen,, that eternal death awaited them, and that 
the consequences of sin were most awfully portray- 
ed before them. These points premised, we are 
prepared to conduct the reader to the embodied 
promulgation of the moral law, commonly called 
the decalogue, from Mount Sinai. We have now 
come to view that terrific scene — to see the law 
engraven on tables of stone — that law which was 
originally written as with a sun-beam upon the 
heart — to hear the voice that speaketh from heav- 
en — and to witness, by the eye of faith, the thun- 
derings, and lightenings and tempest — the quaking 
and burning of the mount — the terror and conster- 
nation of the people — the smoke that ascended 
from the furnace kindled by Jehovah — and the 
blackness of darkness that surrounded the scene! 
Let us, thsa, hear what God the Lord d«th say to 



AND GUARDIAN. 141 

*is, as well as to them. 'Fear ye not me, saith the 
Lord? Tremble ye not at my presence?' 'Hearken 
diligently unto my commands.* 'And God spake 
all these words, saying 1 , I am the Lord thy God* 
thou shalt have no other gods besides me. Thoa 
shalt net make unto thee any graven image, or the 
likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or 
that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water 
under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself 
to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God 
am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the father! 
upon the children unto the third and fourth genera- 
tion of them that hate me; and showing mercy unte 
thousands of them tiiat love me fl and keep my corny 
mandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the 
Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold 
him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remem* 
ber the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six dayt 
shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the 
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy Gock 
in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, 
nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid* 
servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that i* 
within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made 
heaven and earth, the sea, and all thifc in them is, 
f-nd rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lore! 
blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it. Honor 
thy father and thy mother, that thy dafs may lie 
hS 



143 

Jong upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth 
thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not com- 
rriit adultry. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not 
hear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou 
shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not 
covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor 
his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any 
thing that is thy neighbor's.' Thus we have the 
words of the only living and true God before us. 
And we also read, that the people 'said unto Moses 
speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not 
God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said 
unto the people, fear not: for God is come to prove 
you, and that his fear may be before your faces, 
that ye sin not.' May his fear be ever before us: 
and may Keiry us, and prove us, and show us what 
is in our hearts, and lead us in the way everlasting! 
And now, reader, we have the covenant of works 
before us, with the broad szulof heaven stamped upon 
it! Hast thou a clear perception of its spirituality? 
Is it not exceeding broad, reaching the thoughts 
and intents of the heart, bringing to view all its 
hidden machinery? — exposing alike its omissions 
and commissions, comprising far more than can be 
conceived and expressed of moral thoughts, words 
and actions? And canst thou, with this HOLY 
LAW before thee, stand before the HOLY LORD 
GOI>? The HEART SEARCHING and REIN 



AND GUARDIAN 141 

TRYING GOD? Aft thou not induced to B*y> 
from the heart, <0 LORD, thou hast searched me* 
and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting 
and mine up-rising; thou understandest my thought 
afar aff. Thou compasseth my path and my lying 
down, and art acquainted with all my ways: for 
there is not a word in my tongue, but, Jo, O Lord, 
thou knowest it all together.' 

The following lines are so descriptive of the 'all- 
seeing God,' that they cannot be too deeply im- 
pressed upon our hearts and minds: 

'Lord, thou hast searched and seen me through j 
Thine eye commands with piercing view — 

My rising and my resting hours, 

My heart and flesh, with all their p ; oWeri. 

My thoughts, before they are my own, 

Are to my God distinctly known; 
He knows the words I mean to speak, 

Ere from my opening lips they break. 

Within thy circling power I stand, 

On every side I find thy hand: 
Awake, asleep, at home, abroad, 

I am surrounded still with God. 

Amazing knowledge, vast and great! 
What large extent! what lofty height! 



144 christian's guide 

>!y soul, with all the powers I boast, 
Is in the boundless prospect lost. 

O may these thoughts possess my breast, 

Where'er I rove, where'er I rest; 
Nor let my weaker passions dare — 
Consent to sin, for God is there.' 
For an exposition of the divine law, let us read, 
from time to time, our Lord's sermon upon the 
mount, where it is most clearly exhibited, and 
freed from the false glosses which had been put 
upon it by the Scribes and Pharasees. With this 
SACRED STANDARD before us, let us examine 
our hearts, lives and conversation. This is the 
GLASS OF THE SACRED VOLUME! How 
do we appear? Can we read ourselves? Let us 
pray, 'search me, O God, and know my heart:' un- 
fold my heart to me, as I may be able to bear the 
sight: 'try me, and know my thoughts:' try me by 
thy all searching Spirit — unveil to me my real con- 
dition, in the light of thy revealed will! O that it 
may not be unto me as a sealed book ! — 'In thy light 
may I see light. '-1 now come to the light — that my 
deeds may be reproved — that the pollution of my 
thoughts may be exposed to me — that I may know, 
see and feel — that all things are naked and known 
to thee, with whom I shall have to do— -that thy 
word is like a hammer — that breaketh the rock in 



AND GUARDIAN. 145 

pieces, and that it is «quick and powerful, and 
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing, even 
to the dividing .asuuder of soul and spirit, and of the 
joints and marrow, and is a discernerof the thoughts 
and intents of the heart.' 

And I acknowledge, O Lord, that I have sinned 
against heaven and in thy sight — that I have sinned 
times without number, in thought, word and action 
— that I have sinned against light and knowledge — 
that I have grieved thy Holy Spirit, and that I 
deserve to be banished from thy blissful presence, 
and consigned to the blackness of darkness forever! 
Is this the language of thy heart, fellow-traveller to 
the eternal world? And dost thou abhor thyself 
as in dust and ashes? Are thy sins resting upon 
thee like mountains upon mountains? Are they a 
most grievous burden, too heavy to be borne? Art 
thou 'weary of wandering from thy God, and now 
made willing to return ? ' Dost thou sigh for deliv- 
erance? Do thy spirits sink within thee? Dost thou 
pray, 'O Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for me!' 
'Save, Lord, or I perish.' 'God be merciful to me 
a sinner!' 

'For mercy, good Lord ! 

For mercy I plead: 
Mercy's the total sum! 

£.ord! let thy mercy come!' 



146 

Is this, indeed, without any disguise — any cloak 
—any reservation— is it in VERY TRUTH— the 

language of a broken heart and contrite spirit? Then 
trembling penitent — heart burdened sinner, turn, 
humbled and self-condemned — turn from Mount* 
Sinai to Mount\ Calvary! From the Law\ to the 
Gospel/ § From the covenant of works to the covenant 
of grace/ Stand with thy fallen parents on mercy f s 
ground/ Turn from the letter that killeth to the 
Spirit that giveth life/ See thy dangir and tremble 

* See Rom. iii. 10. Ps. xiv. 2-3. Gal. iii. 10. 
Rom. iii. 19-20. Phil. iii. 9, and Rom. vii. 9-13. 

■\ See Luke ii. 10-14. John iii. 16. Acts ii. 37 
-38, and x. 43. Rom. x. 9-10. 1 John iii. 23, and 
iv. 14. John vi. 28-29. 

$ See Bishop Hopkins on the ten commandments 
— a most able and faithful exposition, and well de- 
serving the utmost attention of every Christian 
reader. 

§ See 'Sutcliffe's Introduction to Christianity' — 
furnishing a concise history of the rise and progress 
of the Christian religion, and evincing great re- 
search and thorough investigation; and yet so sim- 
plified, as to render it invaluable to Sabbath schools 
and bible classes; These works are most earnestly 
recommended to superintendents and teachers of 
Sunday schools, as comprising details and illustra- 
tions of no small importance, but which cannot be, 
with equal propriety, included in any work ©f a 
more general and complex character. 



AND GUARDIAN. 147 

beneath the thunders of Sinai! See thy remedy and 
fly for refuge to the hope set before thee — to the 
blood of atonement — to the only.fjbut all-sufficient 
Saviour of sinners! Now behold the light of the 
GLORIOUS GOSPEL! The glad— the joyous— 
the heart-cheering tidings of SALVATION! 

'Salvation! O the joyful sound; 

'Tis pleasure to our ears; 
A sovereign balm for every wound, 

A cordial for our fears. 

Buried in sorrow and in sin, 

At hell's dark door we lay; 
But we arise by grace divine, 

To see a glorious day. 

Salvation! let the echo fly 

The spacious earth around, 
While all the armies of the sky 

C inspire to raise the sound. 5 

Glorious theme! What a cordial to the fainting 
spirits! Art thou, then, looking to the ' Lamb of 
God which taketh away the sins of the world. ^ John 
i. 29. Hast thou come to him, and received the 
salvation freely ofFered to thee, 'without money and 
without price.' Is. Iv. 1; received that which is in- 
deed the 'pearl of great price,-' 1 Peter i. 18-19, and 
art thou rejoicing in 'God thy Saviour,' and is his 



1 14S CHRISTIANAS - GUIDE 

love shed abroad in thy heart, by 'the Holy Ghost 
given unto thee?* Rom. v. 5. If so, thou dost, 
most truly, STAND UPON NEW GROUND! 
Heb. xii. 18-24. A new song has been put into 
thy mouth, even glory to God! God is thy joy 
and thy song, and 'he has become thy salvation.' Is. 
xii. 2: and thou canst now sing, with indescribable 
emotions: 

'Not to the terrors of the Lord; 

The tempest, fire and smoke; 
Not to the thunder of that word. 

Which God on Sinai spoke. 

But we are come to Zion's hill, 

The city of our God, 
Where milder words declare his will, 

And spread his love abroad. 

Behold th J innumerable host 

Of angels cloth 'd in light! 
Behold the spirits of the just, 

Whose faith is turned to sight. 

Behold the blest assembly there, 
Whose names are writ in heaven! 

And God, the Judge of all, declares 
Their numerous sins forgiven. - 

And what is now thy condition ? 'A sinner saved 
by grace;' 'a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ:' and 



AND GUARDIAN. 14§ 

dost thou not 'rejoice in hope of the glory of God' — ■ 
rejoice 'with a joy unspeakable and full of glory?* 
Titus iii. 5-7. Rom. v. 2. Gal. ii. 16 and iii. 24. 
1 Peter i. 8. 



SECTION VII. 

CONSEQUENCES OF THE FALL—HUMAN 
DEPRAVITY— HUMAN INABILITY WITH- 
OUT DIVINE GRACE. 

Our way is evidently prepared for what follows; 
having the true and sure foundation before us, we 
have no apprehension for the superstructure! We 
have seen the awful consequences of the fall; how 
it disfigured the face of fair creation — how it pro- 
duced evils innumerable — how sin necessarily pro- 
duces sorrow — occasions alienation from God — 
'darkness of mind* — depravity of heart— disorder, 
confusion and every evil work. 'The whole head 
is sick, and the whole heart faint.' Is. i. 5. Behold! 
(a prominent point of importance, for our most 
serious consideration,) 'behold, 1 was shapen in 
iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me*' 
Ps. li. 5. Eph. ii. 3* 

'How sad our state by nature is' 
€>ur sin, how deep it stains? 



150 CHRISTIAN'S fcUIEE 

And satan binds our captive souls 
Fast in his slavish chains.' 

fi 5ad state,' indeed! a most foul and loathsome 
disease! How soon man 'perverted his way' — how 
soon 'he sought out many inventions.' Prov. xix. 3 
Ecc. vii. 29. Gen. vi. 12. Hence we read, 'the 
wicked are estranged from the womb ; they go 
astray as soon as they are bom, speaking lies.' Ps. 
Iviii. 3. 'And God saw that the wickedness of 
man was great in the earth, and that every ima- 
gination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil 
continually.' Gen. vi. 5. * They are corrupt; they 
have done abominable works; there is none that 
doeth good.' Ps. xiv. 1. And by way of confirma- 
tion, the apostle Paul quotes from the Old Testa- 
ment: 'as it is written, there is none righteous, no, 
not one.' Rom, iii. 10. And their condition is re- 
presented as a spiritual death: 'and you hath he 
quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 
wherein in time past ye walked according to the 
course of this world, according to the prince of the 
power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the 
children of disobedience.' Eph ii. 1—2. Hence 
those that are in the state of nature, are contradis- 
tinguished from those that are in a state of grace, 
or reconciled to God, through our Lord Jesus 
Christ. The former are said to be in the flesh; and 



AND GUARDIAN. 151 

the latter in the Spirit: and while those that are in 
the flesh are 'carnally minded,' and while they con- 
tinue in that condition 'cannot please God;' those 
that are in the Spirit, are 'spiritually minded, which 
is life and peace:' they are at peace with God, and 
enjoy his favor, Which is life. Rom. viii. 13. And 
hence we are assured, that 'except a man be born 
again,' born of the Spirit, 'he cannot enter into the 
kingdom of God.' For 'that which is born of the 
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is 
spirit..' And to preclude all misapprehension, w© 
are also informed, that we should not be surprised 
at the declaration: 'marvel not that I said unto thee, 
ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where 
it listeth, and thou nearest the sound thereof, but 
canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it 
goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit/ 
John iii. 3-8. Hence we read, 'who can bring a 
clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.' Job xiv. 
4* No created being. 'How then can man be jus- 
tified with God? or how can he be clean that is born 
of a woman?' Job xxr. 4. All the world are guilty 
before God. Rom. iii. 19. But the way of deliver- 
ance, and spiritual renovation, and peace and par- 
don, is made known to us. Rom. iii. 21-26 and v. 
1. John i. 29. Acts xvi. 31. And the sacred 
volume makes known to us all things that pertain 
o life and Godliness, through the knowledge of 



152 christian's guide 

him that hath called us to glory and virtue. 2 Peter 
i.3. If, then, the question should be put to us, 
'wherewithal shall a young* man cleanse his way?* 
we should reply, 'by taking heed thereto, accord- 
ing" to tny word.* Ps. cxix. 9. For 'every word 
of God is pure; he is a shield unto them that put 
their trust in him.' Prov. xxx. 5. And 'the en- 
trance of thy words giveth light: it giveth under- 
standing to the simple.' cxix. 130. And this is the 
great source of spiritual instruction, which leads 
us, under the teaching of the Divine Spirit, to the 
Lord Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life. 
John xv. 26 and xvi. 13 and xiv. 6. How earnestly 
then, we should pray for divine teaching, 'open 
thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things 
out of thy law.' cxix. 18. The Psalmist could say, 
'O howl love thy law! it is my meditation all the 
day.* cxix. 97. It must be evident, therefore, that 
we cannot too highly prize the law and the testi- 
mony. Is. viii. 20. Ps xix. 7-10. 'This is the way 
walk ye in it.' Ps xxx. 21 It is the way which in- 
cludes every spiritual way! And 'all the paths of 
the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his 
covenant and his testimonies.' Ps. xxv. 10. Who 
believe all that he has revealed and declared, and 
flee for refuge to the hope set before them in the 
gospel. Luke xxiv. 25-27. And then bring forth 
Ike fruits of righteousness. Phil. i. 11. Rom. viii. 4. 



AND GUARDIAN. 153 

Let us, then, come to the Lord for his Holy Spirit; 
and let us acknowledge our spiritual blindness, that 
we may receive spiritual sight. John viii. 12. 1 Cor. 
ii. 14. He alone leads the spiritually blind by a 
way they knew not,' imparts to them that 'wisdom 
which is profitable to direct, 5 and assures them that 
'they that fear him shall not want any good thing.' 
Is. xlii. 7. Ecc. x. 10. Ps. xxxiv. 10. Hence we 
clearly perceive our depravity, and the consequent 
necessity of regeneration; our inability, and the 
promise of divine assistance! 'Not by works of 
righteousness which we have done, but according 
to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regen- 
eration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost' Titus hi. 
5. 'Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to thinly 
any thing, as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of 
God.' 2 Cor. iii. 5. And again: 'We had the sen- 
tence of death in ourselves, that" we should not 
trusthi ourselves, but in God, who raiseth the dead.' 
2 Cor. i. 9. 

'No" more, my God, I boast no more, 

Of all the duties I have done; 
I quit the hopes I held before, 

To trust the merits of thy Son. 

Now for the love I bear his name, 
What was my gain, I count my lorn-, 



154 christian's guide 

My former pride I call my shame, 
And nail my glory to his cross.* 

This, indeed, was most strikingly evinced in his 
own experience. Speaking of self-confidence, he 
says, *if any other man thinketh that he hath whei e- 
of he might trust in the flesh, 1 more;' and he gives 
us his strong reasons, 'circumcised the eighth day, 
of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a 
Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a 
Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; 
('believing that he was doing God service;') touch- 
ing the righteousness which is in the law (all its 
external rituals) blameless.' But he did not then 
perceive the spirituality of the law, and thedeprar 
vity of his own heart; for he informs us, 'I was alive 
without the law once; but when the commandments 
came, (in its spirituality and power, thus came to 
his heart,) sin revived, and I died And the com- 
mandment which was ordained to life, I found to be 
unto beath.' Here we have a most striking contrast 
— life or human ability, opposed to death or human 
disability — without the strength of divine grace. 
And speaking of his deliverance, he says, 'I thank 
God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' Rom. vii. 25, 
Thus ascribing his victory — his sufficiency to God, 
who alone can change the heart and mind, through 
sanctifi cation of the Spirit and belief of the truth, 
1 Peter i. 2 and 21. John xvii. 17. And thus the 



AND GUARDIAN, 155 

promise is fulfilled, 'and I will give them one heart, 
and I will put a new Spirit within you: and I will 
take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give 
them a heart of flesh.' Ez. xi. 19. And then they 
receive the exhortation, 'as new-born babes, desire 
the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow 
thereby.' 1 Peter ii. 2. And 'as he who hath called 
you is holy, so be ye hoi}' in all manner of conver- 
sation ; because it is written, be ye holy; for I am 
holy.' 1 Peter i. 15-16. Let sinners, therefore, 
come to the Saviour, while it is called 'to-day.' Heb. 
iv. 7. 

'He can bow down the stubborn will; 

The stone to flesh convert; 

Soften, melt or break — thy adamantine heart.' 

'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, 
saith the Lord.' Ze. iv. 6. 'Without me,' saith tha 
Lord Jesus, 'ye can do nothing.' John xv. 5. Look 
at the response, 'I can do all things through Christ 
strengthening me.' Phil. iv. 13. Here is the ground 
on which the Christian stands: he is 'strong in the 
grace that is in Christ Jesus.' 2 Tim. ii. 1. TiiERE- 
3?ore: 

'Soldiers of Christ, arise, 

And put your armour on, 
Strong in the strength which God »upplies 

Through his eternal Son. 



i5<J christian's guid* 

Stroag in the Lord of hosts, 

And in his mighty powers 
Who in the strength of Jesus trusts. 

Is more than conqueror.' 

Christian! do you need any other strength? D© 
you look to any other source? Is not your 'own 
strength perfect weakness?* And do you not know, 
from painful experience, that 'he that trusteth to his 
own heart is a fool? 2 Cor. xii. 9. 1 Cor: iii. 18. 
Prov. xxviii. 26, and iv. 53 and iii. 5. Again: We 
are expressly informed, that 'it is God who worketh 
in us to will and do of his own good pleasure.' And 
what follows? That we should* therefore, in hum- 
ble dependence upon him, * work out our salvation 
with fear and trembling.' Phil. ii. 12-13. And do 
we not say : 

4 Weaker than a bruised reed — 
Help I ev'ry moment need?' 

"Where, then, is human ability, without divint grace? 
Is it not a reed — a cob-web — a broken staff? But 
we have seen, that 'there is hope in Israel concern 
lng this thing!' We have seen our weakness! We 
have also seen where we can obtain strength! We 
have seen our disease,- Vie remedy is also before us! 
Shall we, then, sit still and die? Or shall we come 
to Christ and uye? Shall we not ask that w« 
may receive j seek, that W€ may find; kinock, that 



AND GUARDIAN. 157 

the door may be opened to us? 'Is there no balm 
in Gilead? Is there no Physician there? Why then 
is not the health of the daughter of my people re- 
covered?' Jer. viii. 22. Why? Is there any other 
remedy? And is there any other physician ? May 
we not say to every other proffered aid, 'miserable 
comforters are ye all ?' Job x\'u 2. To whom, then, 
shall w>^ go, but unto thee, O Lord, thou only hast 
the words of eternal life! John vi. 68; and thou 
hast informed us for our encouragement, that thy 
'grace is sufficient for us,' and that thy 'strength is 
made perfect' — is most conspicuously displayed — 
'in human weakness.' 'Lo,' then, * we come unto 
thee; for thou art the Lord* our God.' 



SECTION Till. 
THE GOSPEL PLAN OF SALVATION. 

'Bet.ieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
shalt be saved.' Acts xvi. 31. 

' Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the 
Greeks, repentence towards God, and faith towards 
our Lord Jesus Christ, ' Acts xx. 21. 

'Come, weary souls, with sins distressed, 
Come and accept the promised rest; 

* See Is. atxvi. 13 and xxv. 9. 



158 christian's guide 

The Saviour's gracious call obey, 
And cast your gloomy fears away.' 

Hail! glorious gospel! Thou art a 

'Sovereign balm for ev'ry wound— 
A cordial for our fears!' 

Blessed are all who receive thee — who receive the 
Great Redeemer — as their only but all-sueficiekt 
SAViouR-who exclaim with Thomas, 'my Lord and 
my God!' — who 'believe with the heart unto righ- 
teousness, and with the mouth make confession un- 
to salvation!' John xx. 28. Rom. x. 9-10. Heb.vii, 
25. 

'Blessed are the souls that hear and know 

The gospel's joyful sound! 
Peace shall attend the path they go, 

And light their steps around.' 

Reader, dost thou hear and know, from heart-felt 
experience, the gospel's joyful sound? Is the Lord 
Jesus Christ thy Saviour? Dost thou know, that 
thou hast 'redemption through his blood, even the 
forgiveness of thy sins, according to the riches of 
his grace* — that thou 'hast passed from death unto 
life' — that God is thy reconciled Father, through 
his well-beloved Son, who is 'the way, the truth 
and the life?' And does 'the Spirit bear witness 
with thy spirit,' that thou art born of God? Be 



AND GUARDIAN. 15$ 

not satisfied with speculations of any kind, with ideal 
notions — with the 'form of Godliness, while desti- 
tute of its power!' What good can these do thee 
— when thy heart and flesh fail — when the king of 
terrors assails thee — when the world recedes, and 
eternity opens to thy astonished view, and time 
with thee shall have ended, and thy soul shall be 
called to the bar of the Eternal — when all these 
most solemn and most awful realities follow in ra- 
pid succession — what will it then avail thee, that 
thou hast basked in the sunshine of prosperity for 
many years— that thy friends were many and thy 
reputation great — that thou hast long heard the 
syren song of pleasure — long followed the flattering 
sight of the eyes, and the decoying desire of the 
heart — that thou hast risen early and sat up late, 
and eat the bread of carefulness and made many 
cool calculations — that thou hast lived at ease in 
Zion, and no one made thee afraid: say, fellow-trav- 
eller to eternity.' Now say what will all these things, 
and ten thousand times ten thousand things like 
them — wh?t will they all avail thee, in that tremen- 
dous moment, when thou must bid them all adieu — 
farewell forever? Therefore: 

'NOW is the accepted time, 

NOW is the day of grace; 
Now, sinners, come without delay, 

And seek the Saviour's face. 



160 ©hristian's guide 

Now is th' accepted time, 

The Saviour calk to-day; 
To-morrow it may me too late — 

Then why should you delay?' 

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is 
the day of salvation.' To-day, if ye will hear his 
voice} To-day! 

'Where is to-morrow! In another world! 
For numbers this is certain: The reverse is sure 
to norit!* 

Therefore, 'Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, 
do it with all thy might; for there is no work nor 
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave 
whither thou goest.' 

'There are no acts of pardon past— 
In the cold grave to which we haste: 

But darkness, death, and long despair, 
Keign in eternal silence there.' 

But who can stand before the awful bar of an 
offended and sin hating God ? How can impenitent 
sinners endure the day of his appearing? 'Can thy 
heart endure, and thy band be strong, when I shall 
deal with thee, saith the Lord?' Yet sinners pre- 
sume upon the divine forbearance? Awful infatu- 
ation ! 'Because sentence against an evil work is 



AND GUARDIAN. 161 

not speedily executed, therefore, the hearts of the 
sons of men are fully set in them to do evil/ 'Thou 
thoughtest,' says God, 'that I was altogether such 
an one as thyself; hut I will reprove thee, and set 
then,' thy sins, 'in order before thine eyes.' 'Now 
consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you 
in pieces,' inflict his judgments upon you, 'and 
there be none to deliver/ 

'When, rising from the bed of death, 
6'erwhelmed with guilt and fear, 

I see my Maker face to face; 
O how shall L appear!; 

If yet, while pardon may be found* 

And mercy may be sought, 
My heart with inward horror shrinks, « 

And trembles at the thought. 

When thou, O Lord,, shall stand disclos'd — 

In Majesty severe, 
And sit in judgment on my soul,. 

O how shall I appear?' 

That thou irayest appear with joy, and not with 
sorrow —now 'prepare to meet thy God.' Amosirv 
12. Hos. xiv. 1-2. 

•Vain man, thy fond persuits forbear $ 
Repent— thy end is nigh : 



162 christian's guide 

Death at the farthest can't be far: 
O think before thou die! 

Reflect — thou hast a soul to save; 

Thy sins, how high they mount! 
What are thy hopes beyond the grave? 

How stands that dark account?' 

Yes, we may truly say, and justly feel assured, 
that 

'That awful day will surely come, 

Th' appointed hour makes haste, * 
When I must stand before my Judge, 
And pass the solemn test. 5 

Hence the solemn injunction, 'take ye heed, watch 
and pray: for ye know not when the time is:' ye 
know not when ye will be called upon — when ye 
will be brought forward to render tour account! 
Ye know not when the Saviour-Judge will send 
his swift messenger for you! whether 'at even, or 
at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morn- 
ing?' Beware, therefore, 'lest, coming suddenly, 
he find you sleeping!' 'And what I say unto you,* 
therefore, this is his language to us, 'what 5 say 
unto you, Isay unto all, WATCH!' 

* 'In the midst of life we are in death.' How 
many very affecting cases have been recorded, and 
how many have not been recorded on paper, but 
recorded in the hearts and minds of relatives, and 
friends* and spectators! 



AND GUARDIAN 163 

*Thou Judge of quick and dead, 

Before whose bar severe, 
With holy joy, or guilty dread, 

We all shall soon appear. 

Our caution *d souls prepare 

For that tremeDdous day, 
And fill us now with watchful care, 

And stir us up to pray. 

* * * * * 

O may we all insure 

A lot among the blest! 
A.nd watch a moment to secure 

An everlasting rest! 

Watch a moment! Let us consider how long we 
have lived, and to what purpose! And let us sup- 
pose, (a supposition according to the nature of our 
heart-thrilling theme,) let us suppose, for the sake 
of illustration, that we are to live — to be probation- 
ers for eternity, ten thousand years! But what are 
ten thousand years, or ten times ten thousand years 
— viewed in the light of eternity? A drop com- 
pared to the ocean? A particle compared to the 
universe? Let us pause and ponder! It will not 
be — it cannot be time mispent, although it should 
be at the expense of a temporary sacrifice. We re- 
peat, therefor*, that the impression may be deep 



164 

and indelible, and therefore abiding. Let us pause; 
and ponder! * * * * * 

What is our conclusion? A drop is a part of the 
ocean: a particle is &part of the universe! But ten 
thousan d years form no part of eternity! It folio ws, 
therefore, that all numbers fail — that all computa- 
tion is lost— utterly and absolutely lost forever! And 
shall man, whose life is but a span, and yet a pro-< 
bationerfor eternity, be abswbed in the things of time 
and sense? Shall he be unconcerned for his im- 
mortal soul, while suspended over the awful pre- 
cipice of ETERNITY? Is it not a most awful in- 
fatuation? The wonder of angels? The astonish- 
ment of all worlds? 'What meanest thou, • CK 
sleeper ?' 

'Time flies., death urges, knells call, heaven in- 
vites, 
Hell threatens: all exerts; in efforts, all; 
More than creation labors, labors more! 
And is there in creation, what amidst 
This tumult universal, wing'd despatch, 
And ardent energy, supinely yawns? 
Man sleeps; and man alone; and man, whose 

fate, 
Fate irreversible, entire, extreme, 
I Endless, hair-hung, breeze-shaken, o'er the gulf 
Amemtnt trembles, drops! and man, for whoaa 



AND GUARDIAN. 165 

All else is in alarm ! man, the sole cause 

Of this surrounding storm! and yet he sleeps — 

As the storm rock'd to rest.' 

And how many in that awful condition, are suddenly 
precipitated into the eternal world! 

'A moment* thou mayest need, 
When worlds want wealth to buy.' 

Let us endeavor, therefore, to improve time — to re* 
deem—to make doubly sure of each fleeting mo- 
ment as it glides along: it is true wisdom; the 're- 
verse is folly's ci*eed. And the true wisdom cometh 
from the Author and Giver of 'every good and 
perfect gift;' and it 'exeelleth folly* (that 'wisdom 
of the world which is foolishness with God,') 'as far 
as light exeelleth darkness.' Hence we read 'the 
wise man's eyes are in his head,' he walketh in the 
light of the Lord. 'O house of Jacob, come ye, 
and let us walk in the light of the Lord.' Let us 

* Several years ago, a gay and thoughtless lady 
when she apprehended herself to be on the point 
of death, conscious that she was not prepared, ex- 
claimed, with inedscribable emotion, and keen an- 
guish depicted on her countenance: 'A thousand 
pounds for a week:' and in a short time, *ten thous- 
and pounds for a week! and upon her breath be- 
coming shorter, 'ten thousand pounds for an hour 
— ten thousand pounds for a moment!' and then ex- 
pired! 

12 



166 CHRISTIANAS GUIDE 

not rebel against the light. And it is the fool— lT?«? 
man who is a stranger to the true wisdom-that ivalk- 
eth in darkness. He is in the mid-day of the world, but 
gropes in spiritual darkness! Yet he thinks himself 
to be wke: 'but wo unto them that ore wise in their 
own eyes, and prudent in their own sight;' 'wo unto 
them that put darkness for light, and light for dark- 
ness/ And all who do not come to the tigM — the 
light of spiritual Ife— do, in very deed, walk in dark- 
ness, and ' darkness hath blinded their eyes.' 'Hut 
he that folio wet h me/ s; ith the Lord Jesus, 'shall 
Slot walk in darkness but shall have the light of 
life.' 'Wherefore he saith, awake, thou that sleep- 
est, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give 
thee light.' 'And if any of you lack wisdom, let 
him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, 
and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.' 
•The Lord giveth wisdom.' « These are the true 
sayings of God.' Dost thou believe them? For 'he 
that cometh to God, must believe that he is, (that 
he is God) and the re warder of them that diligent- 
ly seek him.' Do ye thus believe in God? If yoti 
ask for fight — for wisdom — you must 'ask in faith, 
nothing wavering.' Do you thus ask? If not, you 
ask amiss: and what can you expect? God is faith- 
ful. Will he not, then, fulfil his promise ? What 
thinkest thou ? How readest thow ? Wouldst thou 
charge God foolishly? Wouldst thou make biota 



AKB GUARDIAN. 167 

liar? 'He that believeth not God, hath made him 
a liar.* But 'he that hath received his testimony, 
hath set to his seal that God is true.' Now, reader, 
we can appeal to thee, in the two-fold light of reason 
and revelation, whether religion is not a reasonable 
service? Is not an entire dedication to God a reas- 
onable service? And is not believing the record that 
God lias given and confirmed to us, a most rational 
belief? Our blessed Lord said to his disciples, 'Ye 
believe in God, believe also in me.' But what are 
we to believe? That the Father gave the Son to be 
the Saviour of the world. 'For God sent not his 
Son into the world to condemn the world, but that 
the world > trough him might be saved. 5 'And 
this is his commandment, that We should believe on 
the name of his Son Jesus Christ.' And therefore, 
'lie that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: 
and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; 
but the wrath of God abid°th on him.' Dost thou, 
then, believe on the Son of God? If so, thou mayest 
thank God, and take courage:' but do not fail to 
come to him continually, as to a faithful Creator,- 
and pray to him continually, with the disciples, 
'Lord, increase our faith:' and to 'walk before him 
t) Vil well-pleasing; being fruitful in """every good 
work, and increasing in divine knowledge;' and so 
will he accomplish in thee 'all the good pleasure of 
&is goodness, and the work of faith with power** 
13 



I6S christian's guide 

Thus go on thy way, through the strength of di- 
vine grace. Do not turn to the right hand nor to 
the left— do not turn bav'k to the beggarly elements 
of this vain, delusive and soul-ensnaring world! 
What can it do for thee? What has it done for thee? 
What has it done for its innumerable votaries? Say 
to it, therefore, 

'World, adieu! thou real cheat; 
Oft have thy deceitful charms 
Fill'd my heart with fond conceit. 
Foolish hopes and false alarms; 
Now I see as clear as day, 
How thy follies pass away.' 

Now, therefore again address thyself to thy journey 7 
What is thy language? O Lord my God, thou hast 
put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness, 
and become my salvation: and therefore will 1 trust 
in thee, and not be afraid; for thou hast lifted up 
my head, and hast not made mine enemies to tri- 
umph over me. I called upon thee in my distress, 
and thou didst answer me, and set me in a large 
place. *For thou hast delivered my soul from death, 
mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.' 
O what shall I render unto thee for all thy benefit? 
towards me? 'I will take the cup of salvation, and 
call upon the name of the Lord.' «Bless the Lord, 
my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy 



'ASTD GUARDIAN. 169 

•name.* And with every Christiati thott cinst say, 
we have known and believed the love that Ood 
hath to us. And therefore, 

'Come ye that know and fear the Lord, 

And lift your souls above; 
Let every heart and voice accord*. 

To sing that God is love.' 

But if not, (an idea from which we recoil witk 
horror,) what shall we now say to thee, or what is 
thy reply? Canst thou 'order thy cause before 
the Most High, and fill thy mouth with arguments?' 
Job. xxiii. 4, Wilt thou not rather 'now acquaint 
thyself with him, and be at pe?ce: thereby good 
shall come unto thee.' Job xxii. 21. However, let 
us bear in mind, that we are not discussing a fine 
spun theory: and shall we not say, far other 
thoughts our minds employ? We would not, there- 
fore, endeavor to while away time — to float smooth- 
ly down its rapid current to charm ourselves into 
a false peace — to run the giddy round — to present 
to our view 

A fairy fancied scene, 

A flutt'ring, gay day dream! 

Nor say to ourselves, 'begone, dull care' — ever}' 
serious thought! I cannot endure it! — to think — 
to reason— to 'consider my latter end.* DeukxxxiL 
i4 



170 christian's guide 

29. I cannot endure — wiiat? 4 To so number my 
days, that I may apply my heatf; unto wisdom. 5 Ps. 
lxl. xii, to fear this glorious and fearful name, *th§ 
Lord thy God. 9 Deut. 28. 58— to 'hear what God 
the Lord will say to me. 4 Ps. lxxxv. 8. And there- 
fore, I will say to my soul, 'eat, drink, and be 
merry. 4 Luke xii. 19 — 'and cast off fear, and re- 
strain prayer before God. 4 Job xv. 4 — and 4 walk 
in the ways of my heart, and follow the desires of 
my eyes. 4 Ecc. xi. 9. What extreme folly! Ecc. 
viii. 11. Nay, more, even madness itself. Ecc. ix. 
3. 

4 Ye simple souls, that stray 

Far from the path of peace, 
That unfrequented way 

To life and happiness. 

How long will ye your folly love, 
And throng the downward road, 

And hate the wisdom from above, 
And mock the sons of God?' 

How long will ye drown the voice of conscience, in 
x the whirl of delusive pleasures? Rom. ii. 15. Titus 
i. 15-16. How long will will ye oppose the dictates 
of right-reason? Is. i. 18. How long will ye resist 
the Holy Spirit? Acts vii. 51. Eph. iv. 30. Rom. 
ii 1. Look at the wisest ©f men. He sought 



AKB GUARDIAN. I7t 

'after happiness where it was not to be found. Afrd 
what was the result } Behold! all — 'all is vanity 
and vexation of spirit/ Is it thy experience, rea- 
der? Or hast thou the lesson yet to learn? But 
wilt thou not believe us? Do we * 'deal in fiction^ oy 
do we bring forward the simple truth? 'If we are 
beside ourselves,' it is in a good cause: but surely 'we 
are not mad, but speak the words of truth and so- 
berness.' Alasl how often have we said to our- 
selves, after seeking 1 rest and finding none, 'to-mor- 
row shall be as this day, and so much more abund- 
ant.' Let me alone. When I wake I will yet seek 
it.' But we sought it in vain; we were wearied in 
the pursuit. And what followed? C I thought on 
my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies: 
I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy com- 
mandments. 7 Ps. cxix. 59-60. We confessed and 
forsook our sins, and through divine grace obtained 
mercy, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Ps. xxxii. 
5. Prov. xxviii. 13. Acts v: 31. And therefore, 
we say to thee, 'what avails thy wandering to and 
fro?' Wilt thou still cry to the vanities and follies 
cf the world, 'give, give?' All the pleasures, im- 
properly so called, that earth can give, will net — 
eannot 'satisfy the cravings of an immortal mind? 

•Something still, to me, 
To thee, to him, is wanting, 

i5 



172 christian's guide 

And that something', unpossess'd, 
Corrodes and leavens all the rest/ 

Nor is it possible, from the very nature of things, 
for any thing material— for all material things, to 
satisfy the cravings of an immortal mind! God 
alone — the 'Father of the spirits of all flesh,' from 
whom the soul came — can satisfy its unbounded 
desires! If thou dost lean upon any thing else, 
reader, it will pierce thee to the heart/ Thou canst 
not be happy without the enjoyment of the divine fa- 
vor/ And yet thou wouldest be happy/ Wouldst 
thou not? 'All men desire happiness/ 

'O happiness! our being's end and aim! 
Good, pleasure, ease, content! — whate'er thy 

name; 
That something still which prompts th' eternal 

sigh, 
For which we bear to live, or dare to die; 
"Which still so near us, yet beyond us lies, 
O'erlook'd, seen double, by the fool and wise; 
Plant of eternal birth, if dropt below, 
Say, in what mortal soil thou deign'st to grow? 

To this 'Plant of celestial birth,' reader, this scrap- 
ing, 

•Which nothing eartlUy gives, nor can destroy, 
Th« soul's calm sun-shine, and heart-felt joy;' 



AND GUARDIAN. 173 

we would how, not to-morrow — conduct thee! Wilt 
thou accompany us? * i * 

We now proceed to consider, in the due prosecu- 
tion of our wfinHely important theme , the character, 
offices and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, as pre- 
sented to us in the gospel plan of salvation — its 
general promises and invitations — the objections 
commonly-brought forward, and then to prove, 
from reason and scripture, that the finally impenitent 
sinner is without any excuse, and that he is the author 
of his own final condemnation! 

1st. The character, offices and work of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, as presented to us in the gospel 
plan of salvation. His character — a concentration of 
excellencies — 'the brightnes of his Father's glory, 
and the express image of his person:' 'Emmanuel, 
God with us;' 'God manifested in the flesh;' 'God 
over all, blessed forever.' Hence, 

'All human virtues — all divine — 
In our Emmanuel shine.' 

His offices— he is a Prophet. 'Never man spake 
like' Emmanuel — God-man! Listen to his instruc- 
tions. Read his parables. What simplicity — what 
beauty— what sublimity! Read his sermon on the 
mount. What an admirable compend of all moral 
duties! How clear— full — forcible! And more 

16 



174 christian's guide 

especially, read his beatitudes: 'Blessed are the 
poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be com- 
forted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit 
the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and 
thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy . 
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see 
God. Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall 
be called the children of God. Blessed are they 
which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for 
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' What a contrast 
to the maxims of the world! Are we then, willing 
to become his disciples and learn of him? .To be 
humble — meek— lowl) — forbearing — forgiving ? — 
Do we believe that 'he that exalteth himself shall 
be abased, but that he that humbleth himself shall 
be exalted?' And do we 'humble ourselves under 
the mighty power of God, that he may exalt us in 
due time?' And do we pray, from the heart, 'Our 
Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; 
thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it 
is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and 
forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who 
trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, 
and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. 
Amen.' Do we, then, indeed, obey thy precepts; 



' AffD SUARDrABT. ' 1-73 

and commands of our divine Instructer and Law ! 
giver? He assures us that 'if we forgive men their 
trespasses, our heavenly Father will als» forgive us; 
but if we forgive n&t men their trespasses, neither 
will our heavenly Father forgive us.' And he re-, 
quires of us, as a proof of our love, that we keep 
his commandments: 'if ye love me keep my com- 
mandments. ' And what can be more reasonable 
than the injunction: 'whatever ye would that men 
should do unto you, do ye also unto them: for this 
is the law and the prophets' — the sum and sub- 
stance of the law and the prophets? If we thus 
love and obey the Saviour, then are we his disciples 
indeed. 

We shall now consider him as our Priest — as the 
great 'high priest over the house of God. 1 The 
priests under the law were typical of the 'high 
priest of good things to come,' even Jesus, the 
'surety of a better testament;' for the law madfe 
nothing perfect, being but 'the shadow of the good 
things to come;' but the bringing in of a better 
hope did, — by which we draw nigh unto God:*— 
By which all true believers obtain 'a good hope' — 
a 'hope that maketh not ashamed' — a 'hope which 
is an anchor of the soul, both 3ure and stedfast-- 
and which entereth into that withhiihe vail'—^i 
INNER SANCTUARY— THE ifOLY OF HO- 
LIES! — And we are informed that without the 
i7 



shedding of blood their is no remission of slns:--~ 
Hence all the sacrifices under the law were inten- 
ded to direct the people to the great sacrifice for 
shi — the great atonement — ( i\iQ Lamb of God slain 
fror. y i the foundation of the world:' — 'and to him give 
all the prophets witness.' And what is that wit- 
ness? That 'whosoever beiieveth on him, shall 
receive remission of sins.' 'For it is not possible 
that the blood of bulls and of goats should take? 
away sins/ 

'Not all the blood of beasts 

On Jewish altars slain, 
Could give the guilty conscience peace, 

Or wash away the stain.' 

Hence the Lord Jesus is the Believer's new and 
living way — in contradistinction to the old and ab- 
rogated priest-hood/ Hence he appeared once in 
the end of the world, (the Christian dispensation,) 
to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and 
hence 'he is able to save unto the uttermost all 
who come unto God by him:* 'the blood of Jesus 
Christ cleanseth from all sin.' Hence the import 
of the name Jesus, 'thou shalt call his name Jesus: 
for he shall save his people from their sins. 'And 
such a high-priest became us,' Who is both a Son 
and high-priest over the house of God, and hath 
'all power committed unto him,-' and *wko is holy .. 



£nd GtrARDiAsr. 177 

harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and 
made higher than the heavens.' Is he not, there- 
fore, cm all sufficient high-priest? And if so, which 
thou surely wilt not deny, rs he the high-priest of 
thy profession? 

Let us now view him as our King. He Is the 
'King of Zion,' and he will 'reign till he hath put 
all enemies under his feet.' Those w T ho will not 
yield to the sceptre of his merzy, must fall beneath 
the rod.qf his power/ He is 'the Lamb of God, 
which taketh away the sin of the world:' he is also 
'th e L ion of the tribe of Judah. ' Hence th e stability 
of his kingdom: he is termed 'the rock of ages ,' and 
'a stone — a tried stone — a corner stone — a precious 
stone — a sure foundation.' And hence it is said, 
4 he that believeth on him shall not make haste.' lie 
has come to an all-svjjicient protector, and he should 
not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart should be 
steadfast, trusting in the strength of his Lord and 
Master. 'Whosoever,' therefore, 'shall fall on this 
stone' — shall come to this great Saviour for salva- 
tion — 'shall be broken' — shall be humbled, peni- 
tent and broken-hearied for sin; 'but on whomsoever 
it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.' 'Bring 
forth those mine enemies, who would not that I 
should reign over them, and slay them before me;' 
consign them to the blackness of darkness forever: 

18 



♦There shall be weeping, and wailing", aftdgnashml- 
of teeth.' : " I 

""■'k 'All .power is to our Jesus given; '"' 

dearth's rebellious sons he reigns! -■ 
; M;ll^Ti^e.s ; the hosts of, heaven, 
* ^fecHioIds the,poWer;of hcl&nsclwms.* 

" Therefore, xellow immortal; 

*\ f ie1d to his^lo.^'*s^t:q.nstl^a]ning , power — 
And fight against your God%0 more.' 

And therefore we say unto thee, sinner, behold 
the Saviour/ — behold him as the 'Lamb of God, 
which taketh away the sins of the world' — behold 
"him as thy Prophet, Priest and King! And hear 
«.his gracious invitations and promises. 'Ho! every 
. one. thai thirsteth, come ye to the waters.' 'If any 
Vlait-'tffetjdet him come unto me and drink.' 'Him 
that .cometh to. me I will in no wise cast out.' Is. 
Iv. 1. Johm'yii. 37 and vi. 37. Adam and Eve, . 
.after their ..transgression, were expelled from the 
tree of;life ih.the garden of Eden, and from all hope 
of tlie-diyine Vdvoihhy the covenant of works. But 
the tree of life, and the water of life, will be found 
in the heavenly Canaan, through the mediator of 
the new covenant. And they are freely offered to 
thee, -'without money and without price.' Iv. 1-3 • 
'The Spirit and the bride say, come. And let him 



AND GUARDIAN. 179 

that heareth say come. And let him that is athirst, 
come; and whosoever will, let him take the water 
of life freely.* Rev. xxii. *1-17. John iv: 14. 
And therefore, 'seek the Lord while he may be 
found, and call upon him while he is neat. 5 Is. H. 
6. If thou seek him, he will he found of thee; but 
if thou forsake hi m^ he will cast thee off forever * 
1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Surely, then, thou wilt not say 
unto him, ^depart fr©m us^ for we desire not the 
knowledge of thy ways!' Job xxi. 14. For what 
would follow? 'Wo unto them, for they have fted 
from me,' and 'wo also to them when I depart from 
them. ? Hos. vii. 13 and ix. 12. 'My Spirit shall not 
always strive with man.' Gen. vi. 3. And there h 
but 'a step between thee and death.' And there- 
fore: 

'Stop, poor sinner, stop and think, 

Before thou further go. 
Will you sport upon the brink 

Of everlasting wo ?' 

Come unto me, and your soul shall live: 5 Is. Iv. 3, 
you shall enjoy spiritual life. 

Again : Wouldst thou not esteem it a very great 
1 privilege, to obtain the favor and approbation of the 
wise, good and great men of thy day and genera- 
tion? And wilt thou not hear what infinite kind- 
ness aondescends to say to thee — what infinite wisdom 
10 



180 christian's guide 

has planned for thee, and what infinite goodness has 
proposed for thy acceptance? And v\ ilt thou not, 
like Abraham, esteem it an unspeakable honor to 
become the 'friend of God?' Jas. ii. 23. Heb.xi.7. 
If not (and does net the considerate and reflecting 
mind recoil from the supposition ? ) if not, where is 
filial affection — where is gratitude — where is true 
honor? 'A son honereth his father, and a servant 
his master: if then I be a father, where is mine hon- 
or? and if I be a master, where is my fear?' Mai. i. 
6. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for 
the Lord hath spoken: I have nourished and 
brought np children, arid they have rebelled against 
me.' Is. i. 2. But 'wo unto him that striveth with 
his Maker. 5 Is. xlv. 9. 'The way of transgressors 
is hard/ Prov. xiii. 15. Let us, therefore, 'return 
unto the Lord,' from whom we have so long and 
'deeply revolted; let us return unto him, like the 
repentant prodigal, and say \t ith him, 'Father, I 
have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight :' and 
yet thou hast said, 'take with you words, and turn 
to the Lord; and say unto him, take away all iniquity 
and receive us graciously: so will we render praises 
unto thee. 9 'Behold, we come unto thee; for thou 
art the Lord our God;' we come unto thee through 
thy 'well-beloved Son, in whom thou art well pleas- 
ed;' we receive him as our all-sufficient Saviour; 
and we yield ourselves to thee, as to a faithful Crea= 



AND GUARDIAN. 181 

tor: for thou hast assured us, that thou art 'faithful 
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 
from all unrighteousness.' Hos. vi. 1 and xiv. 2. Is. 
xxxi. 6. Jer. ii'i. 22. Mat. hi. 17. 1 John i. 9. Heb. 
vii. 25. Hast thou not thus come to the Saviour, who 
is a true 'friend at all times,' and 'a friend that 
sticketh closer than a brother?' Prov. xvii. 17 and 
xviii. 24. And canst thou be any longer unmind- 
ful of the 'Father of thy spirit,' 'who daily loadeth 
thee with benefits, and giveth thee all things richly 
to enjoy?' Heb. xii. 9. Ps. Ixviii. 19. 1 Tim. vi. 17. 

'O for that tenderness of heart, 

Which bows before the Lord-, 
Acknowledging how just thou art, 

And trembling at thy word! 

O for those humble, contrite tears, 

Which from repentance flow: 
That consciousness of guilt, which fears 

The long suspended blow. ? 

And a determination, through divine grace, not to 
'confer with flesh and blood.' Gal. i. 16 — not to 
'walk in the counsels of the ungodly, nor stand in the 
way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful.' 
Ps. i. 1; and, in a word, not to be any longer 'con- 
formed to this world.' Rom. xii. 2. 'Love not the 
World, neither the things that are in the world. If 



182 

any man love the world, the love of the Father is 
not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of 
the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 
is not of the Father, but is of the world.' 1 John ii. 
15-16. * Wherefore, come out from among them, 
and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not 
the unclean thing-; and I will receive you, and will 
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and 
daughters, saith the Lord Almauhty.' 2 Cor. vi. If 
-18. 

We are now led to consider some of the ob- 
jectioas that are commonly brought forward, and 
which go to prove the perversity and pride of the 
human heart, and that it is indeed, 'deceitful above 
all things, and desperately wicked.' Prov. xvi. 5. 
Deut. xxxii. 20. Jer. xvii. 9. Hence it not unfre- 
quently endeavors to divest itseif of moral obligation, 
and even to glory in in its own shame! Rom. i 21. 
Ps. xii. 4. Phii. iii. 19. 2 Tim. iii. 8. But the Lord 
will 'slain the pride of all human glory.' Is. xxiii. 
9; and 'the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.' Is. 
v. 15; and 'no flesh shall glory in his presence.' 1 
Cor. i- 29. 'That, according as it is written, he 
that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.' 1 Cor. i. 
31. All which is 'made manifest by the light/ 
Eph. v. 13; in which light the following objections 
will appear: 

1st Objection. *I cannot come to God'—Icannot 



AND GUARDIAN. 185 

come to the Saviour.' But art thou indeed sincere 
in this objection? What is its import? We have 
acknowledged, that of thyself thou canst do nothing, 
'Without me,' saiththe Saviour, 'yecando nothing*' 
John xv. £. And he does not require of us to 'go 
a warfare at our own charges.' 1 Cor. ix. 7. Is.h$ 
a hard master? Does he gather where he has not 
strewed? Mat. xxv. 24-29. 

'God, in the gospel of his Son, 

Makes his eternal counsels known; 

Where love in all its glory shines, 
And truth is drawn in fairest lines. 

'Here ;faith reveals to mortal eyes, 
A brighter world beyond the skies: 

Here shines the light which guides our, way,, . 
From earth to realms of endless day/ 

Surely, then, he does not say what he does not 
mean! He 'came to bear witness to the truth.' 
John xviii, 37. What, then, does the Saviour say to 
thee? 'Ye will not come to me, that ye might have 
life.' John v. 40. And what did the Saviour say to 
Jerusalem? 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that 
killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent 
unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy 
children together, even as a hen gathereth her 
chickens under her wings, and ye would not!' Mat, 
xxiii. 37. Was not the Saviour sincere/ * * 



$84 christian's guide 

Again: 'The Scribes and Pearisees rejected the 
•counsel of God against themselves;' * they put from 
them the word of God/ and they would not come 
to the light! And what does God say to all who 
do not come to him? 'Turn you at my reproof; be- 
hold, I will pour cut my Spirit unto you, I will 
make known my works unto you.' And what does 
he say to all who will not come to kirn? 'Because I 
have teal led, and } r e refused; I have stretched out 
my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at 
naught all my counsel, and would none of my re- 
proof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will 
mock when your fear cometh. When your fear 
cometh as desolation, and your destruction as a 
whirlwind ; when distress and anguish cometh upon 
you Then shall they call upon me, but I will not 
answer ; they shall seek me earty, but they shall 
not find me : For that they hated knowledge, and 
did not choose the fear of the Lord . They would 
none of my counsel ; they despised all my reproof ! 
Therefore shall they eat the fruit of their own way 
and be filled with their own devices.' Prcv. i. 24- 
31. "Wilt thou not then, deal faithfully with thy 
•self? And if so, art thou not self-condemned? He 
that believeth not is condemned already. John iii. 
18. 

2d objection. 'Does not the bible say, that sin- 
ners are 'dead in trespasses and sins;' aad what the* 



AND GUARDIAN. TS$ 

<?4n they do*? They cannot change their own hearts: 
and it is the spirit that qnickeneth, and the flesh 
that profiteth nothing — bodily exercise, all that man 
can do, without the Spirit, profiteth nothing. But 
what follows? Your heavenly Father will give the 
Holy Spirit to them that ask him. 'And you,' says 
the apostle to the Ephesians, 'you hath he quicken- 
ed, who were dead in trespasses and sins.' Sinner 
will you not come to him to be quickened? Will you 
not ask, that you may receive? Will you not seel v 
that you may find? Will you not knock, \.\v<k\ the 
door of mercy— of holiness-— of happiness — of 
heaven may be opened unto you? The Lord Jesus 
appeals to oar own humanity — to our own benevo- 
ence — to illustrate the compassion and readiness of 
the Almighty to impart his Holy Spirit to them that 
ask him. 'If a son shall ask bread of any of you 
that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he 
ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or 
if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a' scorpion ? 
If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts 
unto your children, how much more shall your 
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that 
ask him?' Lukexi. 11-13. Is not this appeal ir- 
resistible? 

3d objection. 'Do you not say, that repentance 
and faith are the gifts of God; and how, then, can I 
sepent and believe the gospel?* It is very true that 



rS6 christian's guide 

repentance and faith are the gifts of God: and it is 
equally true, that God is the Author and Giver of 
every good and perfect gift. Hence we read, that 
the Spirit of God convinces the world of sin, of righ- 
teousness and judgment: and the Spirit does, by 
natural consequence, impart all the gifts and graces 
of the Spirit. And what follows? We are infmned, 
and we are assured, that Jesus Christ is exalted to 
be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto 
Israel, as well as the forgiveness of sit**: and that 
he is the 'Author and finisher of the Christian's 
faith.' Actsv. 34. Heb. xii. 2. But the Lord Jesus 
also informs us, that the spirit would convince the 
world of sin, because they believed not on him: 
that was and still is the paramount sin — the damn- 
ing sin of unbelief, 'he that believeth not shall be 
damned.' Mark xvi. 16. Why should they be 
damned? Because they would not believe — because 
they would not come to him for those gifts which 
he was exalted to impart, and which he has solemn- 
ly declared, as we have seen, that he is willing* to 
impart. Hence we read, 'that they all might be 
■damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure 
in unrighteousness,' and they 'received not the truth, 
that they might be saved.' 2 Thess. ii. 10-12. We re- 

* See John vii. 37. Mat. yii. 7-8 and xi: 28-30. 
John vii. 17 and hi. 19. 



AND GUARDIAN". 1ST 

*ieat, flierefore, that they would not come to Christ 
that they might be saved — that they might receive 
the Holy Spirit— all the gifts and graces of the Holy- 
Spirit; and by natural consequence repentance and 
faith/ And therefore they were without excuse/ 
Sinner is not this thy own condition? If thou wilt 
not -come to Christ, rest assured, that thou art, indeed^ 
without excuse/ 

4th objection. 'Professors cf religion, of differ- 
ent denominations, do not agree with each other? 
the}' are continually opposing each other; and yet 
they say that there is but one way to heaven/ I do 
not know what to think. One would draw me in 
one direction, and another in a different direction. 
Surely, then, they cannot be all right. But they 
all say that they are right! But how can I know 
which to believe and follow?' T »Ve reply, that all true 
Christians are united by one living faith — to one 
only hut all-sufficient Saviour,- that they are all re- 
generated by the Holy Spirit; that they have all 
one Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ; that the Lord Jesus Christ is the head, and 
that they are ,the members — that they are built up 
together in one spiritual house, of which Jesus Christ 
is the chief corner stone, and which is an habitation 
of God through tne Spirit; and that 'other founda- 
tion can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus 
Christ.' 'Now, if any man build upon this four- 



188 christian's guide 

tlation, gold, silver* and 'precious stones;' or Svood, 
hay and stubble; every man's work shall be made 
manifest: for the day* — the dzy of final account — 
'shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by lire; 
and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort 
it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built 
thereupon, he shall receive a reward, if any man's 
work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but lie 
himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." I Cor, hi. 
11-15. True Christians, then, we infer, are united 
together by those bonds that are absolutely essential 
to salvat'oT, although they may not knovj it, and al- 
though they may not suppose it to be io,- that is to 
say, that such may be the character of their differ- 
ences, and such the strength of their prejudices — 
that they may neither know nor suppose— that they 
are united together in the great essentials of the 
Christian faith! What then? 'What is the chaff 
to the wheat, saith the Lord?' They still have the 
root of the matter in them,- wdfich is consistent with 
many errors, prejudices, &x. And though many 
of them will be saved as by fire; saved, to use a 
very strong figurative expression, 'as by the skin 
of their teeth;' yet it is sufficient for us to know, 
that their ignorance of many things — their mistakes 
— their divisions — their unhappy altercations do 
not eventuate in their destruction — that they are 
still brethren; that they will soon — very soon — see 



AND GUARDIAN. 159 

eye to eye, and meet face to Tace in their heavenly 
Father's house, and if they could shed tears * 

* * * But we forbear! What shall we 
say to these things ? 'Let the strong bear the infir- 
mities of the weak, and not please themselves' at 
the expence of wounding' the feelings of their 
weaker brethren : let them 'comfort the feeble- 
minded, support the weak, and be patient towards 
all men.'* 1 Thess. v. 14-15. And it is sufficient 
for thee to know, reader, that the way to heaven is 
apian way, as this little book will prove to thee, 
from both reason and scripture; and that the essen- 
tial doctrines and precepts of the Christian religion 
are indeed, clear — full — luminous! . > 

And though one should say, 'I am of Paul; and 
another, I am of Apollos; and another, I am of Ce- 
phas:' what is all that to thee? Hear what the 
Lord Jesus says, 'follow thou me.' John xxi. 22. 
He is thy great teacher— thy great examplar — thy 
great ntercessor! 'He is the way, the truth and 
the life,' and no man cometh unto the Father but 

* This is a fruitful theme, and fraught with 
many weighty and deeply impressive considera- 
tions! O that all Christians would lay it to heart! 
'Sirs! ye are brethren!' 4 Do not fall out by the 
way!' 'Live in peace and the God of love and peace 
shall be with you,' 

t See Gal. ill. 36? Gen. xlv: 24. 2 Cor. xiii. 11, 



190 christian's guide 

by him ; and whosoever cometh unto him, he will 
in no wise cast out.' Wilt thou come to him? 
Wilt thou be a Christian? The way is before thee 
— the blood-stained banner of the cross is unfold- 
ed before thee^ and all true Christians can glory in 
the cross of Christ: and may the writer and the 
reader say, forever say* with the mouth and from 
the heart, 'God forbid that I should glory, save in 
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the 
world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 
Gal. vi. 14. 'If,' then, let one Christian say to 
another 'thy heart is as my heart, give me thy hand.' 
■2 Kings x. 15. I do not say anything to thee about 
minor things. In this respect, thou mayest go to 
the right hand or to the left! — In either case — fare 
thee well! — May grace, mercy and peace, be with 
all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.* 
"Reader — wilt thou not say Amen? 

5th objection. 'But I have attended public 
worship, and read the bible, and prayed for mercy* 
and yet I have not experienced any change in my- 
self: but you say that those who read the bible, 
and attend public worship, and pray for mercy, 
shall experience the influence and power of religion! 
Why have I not thus experienced religion? If the 
Lord does not convert me, what can I do for my~ 
self?' We have already substantially answered this 



AND GUARDIAN 191 

shadowy objection; but it is both our duty and our 
privilege to dualize it. 

1st. It argues a very wrong state of mind: atrua 
penitent is deeply humbled under a view of his 
sins, and is overwhelmed under a view of the divine 
forbearance. 'It is of the Lord's mercies,' he ex- 
claims, Hhat I am not consumed:' and he neither 
throws the blame on his Maker, noi? his fellow- 
men. 

2d. The objector does not distinguish between 
formality and religion. It is not a regular observance 
of any routine of services and duties, however ex- 
cellent in themselves, that can effect a change of 
heart! Means, as we have seen, are channels, 
through which divine grace is conveyed, when we 
seek the Lord with all our heart: 'Ye shall seek me 
and find me, when ye shall search for me with all 
your heart?' * 'Son,' daughter, 'give me thine 
heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. 5 Hast 
thou thus sought the Lord? Or art thou at length 
compelled to say: 

'Lor% have I seemed to serve thee, Lord, 

With unavailing pain : 
Fasted, and prayed, and read thy word, 

And heard it preach'd in vain. 

* 1 Sam. xvi. 7. Jer. xxix. 13. Prov. xxiii. 26. 



192 CHRISTIANAS GUIDE 

Oft did I with the assembly join, 

And near the altar drew — 
A form of Godliness was mine, 

The power I never knew.' 

3d. Thou hast read the bible. But how hast 
thou read it? The Lord Jesus says to us, 'if any 
man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, 
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.' 
The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the 
world — to proclaim his will and word — to show 
forth the ! 'doctrine which is according to Godliness* — 
•to teach us, 'that denying ungodliness and worldly 
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly 
in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, 
and the glorious appearing of the great God and 
our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, 
that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and 
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of 
good works.' Titus ii. 12-14. It follows, there- 
fore, that every thing should be separated from us, 
which does or might separate between God and our 
souls. 'Be ye separate, saith the Lord ' 2 Cor. vi. 
17* And in this sense, and not in any other, we un~ 
derstand the passage, 'cleanse your hands, ye sin- 
ners, aod purify your hearts, ye double-minded:' 
Janres iv. 8. And what did the Lord say to his 
ancient people? 'Their heart is divided- they have 



AND GUARDIAN. 193 

fiat called upon me with their heart.' Hence we 
should look at the heart! It is heart-work, and it is 
heart-work alone, that will serve for eternity! Hence 
we are required to 'keep our heart with all diligence 
—with all keeping! Why? Because 'out of it are 
the issues of life,' in/the illimitable sense of the ex- 
pression ! Surely, then, we have reason to be a 
larmed for ourselves, lest we should hear the sol- 
emn and heart-sinking declaration. 'thou hast no 
part nor lot in this matter!' Why? Because I did 
not invite thee, with the utmost sincerity? No! — 
far — far from it J Far be it from the Saviour-Judge 
to do after this manner!' It cannot be! impossible! 
What then*' 'Thy heart is not right in the sight of 
God!' 'He requires truth in the inward parts.' 
'Cursed be the deceiver, that hath in his flock a 
male, and (yet) voweth and sacrifice fh unto the 
Lord a corrupt thing.' Mai. i. 14. '!> the Lord, 
search the heart an^ try the reins of the children 
of men.' Who, then, 'hath required this at your 
hands,' to thus 'tread my courts.' 'Bring no more 
vain oblations.' 'Bring forth fruits meet for repen- 
tance' through the strength of that grace which I 
freely offer to you. | 'For by grace are ye saved.? 
through faith: and that not of yourselves; it is the 
gift of God:' that giff 'which he is willing to bestow, 
which he is waiting to bestow, and which he invites, 
iotreats, exhorts and beseeches sinners to accept-*?- 



1M christian's guide 

to accept 'without money and without price * Let 
us, then, come to him as to a faithful Creator! Let 
us receive from him grace u;jon grace — all the 
gifts and graces of the Hob' Spirit; and let us be 
grateful to him for life. Kreath and all things, but 
more especially, and above all things, for the gift 
of his well-beloved Son! * Thinks be unto God 
for his unspeakable gift.' Yes, fellow-traveller, 
we should thus come to him — thus be grateful to 
him — thus give up ourselves to his reasonable and 
scriptural service, and thus worship him! ♦For 
God is a Spirit; and they that worship him, (that 
would worship him acceptably,) must worship him 
(both worship and serve him,) in spirit and in truth.' 
For they alone are true worshipers; and 'the Father 
seeketh such to worship him;' that they may be his 
children indeed, 'i am holy: be ye holy, saitli the 
Lord.* And therefore we are assured, that * with- 
out holiness no man shall see the Lord' — shall be 
admitted into his blissful pretence. Let us not, 
then, deceive ourselves: 'be not deceived :Hor 'God 
is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that 
shall he also reap. For he that soweth to the flesh, 
shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that sow- 
eth to tne Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life-ever- 
lasting.' This is the solemn and unalterable sen- 
tence 3< pronounced in the book of God! And is it 
not pronounced in the court of thy coa«clfcn*e* 



AND ^UARDIAK. 195 

reader? Hast thou, then, any false covering 1 — any 
cloak for thy sin — any subterfuge— any evasion — 
any refuge oflies? Art thou not ready to exclaim, 
if thou canst find atterance for words: 

'Guilty I stand before thy face! 

I feel on me thy wrath abides: 
'Tis just the sentence should take place? 

'Tis just, but 0! thy Son hath died?' 

What shall we now say? Many more objections 
might be brought forward and answered — might be 
placed in trie scales of divine truth— beneath the 
scorching, heart-piercing and heart-unfolding rays 
of the sun of righteousiess! And they would disap- 
pear — they do disappear like vapors before the na- 
tural sun! But we have briefly noticed some of the 
most hydra-headed objections, which virtually com- 
prise many others, or they follow in their train like 
kindred twins, well-known by their family like- 
ness! i 

Proceed we, therefore, to prove, as, indeed, we 
have already done, bit which we may do again, to 
make assurance doub.y sure— to prove from reason 
and scripture, that the finally impenitent sinner is 
indeed without any excuse, and that he is the author 
of his own final condemnation! 

First. We again bring reason forward; which 
we hail as a precious gift of God! And would it 



196 



christian's guide 



not be well for every rational being to reason close- 
ly and thoroughly? And not turn away from the 
criterion of divine truth, and be 'wise above what 
is written;' not boast of reason,* without its due ex- 
ercise; not to take up with hasty assertions, com- 
mon reports, surmisings, first impressions, super- 
ficial views, or faint and glimmering percep\ionsf 
For it would then be, what it ever should be, a 
truly valuable handmaid to revelation! What, then 
does reason now say to us? That we have no val- 
id excuse for neglecting our interests! But have 
we, indeed, neglected our interests— could we be 
so unwise? Let us pause, consider, reflect! * 
* * Our interests! What are they?' 
Whatever relates to body anil soul, to time and e- 
ternity? And do they not evidently require our 
due attention? And if we d* not pay a due atten- 
tion to them are we self-jusjified, are we truly raf 
1 onal? But lei us, for the sa|e of illustration, and 
that we may preclude eveiy kind and degree of 
misapprehension, consider thetn in dueorder. Or by 
way of adaptation, without losng sight of their com- 
parative claims, proceed frorji the less to the grea- 
ter. 

1st. Our earth]}' concerns, whatever is included 
in a correct view of the things of time and sense. 



• See supplementary note, 



AKD GUARDIAN. 19? 

And if it is obvious, that oar rational wants should 
be supplied, that we should labour for the meat 
that perisheth, but without that thought or anxiety,, 
which would engross our minds, and prevent a clue 
attention to things of infinitely greater importance, 
which would be no less irrational than unscrip- 
tural! John vi. 27-. and in which sense, therefore, 
we should not 'labour for the meat that perisheth.*' 
Nor, by a parity of reason, should we either set an 
undue estimate upon any worldly object, or so la- 
bour to obtain it! But we need not go from one 
extreme to another; we need not be slovenly bs 
cause we have paid too much attention to dress; we 
need not neglect our lawful buisness, because it has 
often taken up time which should have been devo- 
ted to other purposes; we need not avoid conversa- 
tion upon useful subjects of a worldly character, be 
cause we have been frequently engaged in light 
and trifling conversation; and we need not become 
morose or anti-social, because we have, at different 
times and places, yielded to levity! Every good v 
thing is beautiful in its reason: and we know that 
every evil thing should be avoided. It must be ev» 
Ment, therefore, from the principles laid down, and 
which are as immutable as the throne of the Eter" 
nal, that our attention to things should be in pro 
portion to their importance! But is it so? * 
* If we do not provide food, raiment* 



198 CHRISTIAN'S GtJIBS 

&c. for ourselves, and those who are dependent 
upon us, when it is in our power to do so, are we 
not self-condemned, by the united voice of reason 
and conscience? Unquestionably! But how much 
more so, if we do not duly labor— duly exert our- 
selves in every way that accords with a correct 
view of our best interests— our spiritual and eter- 
nal welfare? So much more, beyond the possibili- 
ty of a doubt—as the mental powers exceed mere 
instinct — as the soul exceeds the body — as the 
universe exceeds a particle — as immensity exceeds 
a hair-breadth — as eternity transcends time! Shall 
we, then, labor for the meat that perisheth, and 
not proportionably labor for that which endureth 
unto everlasting life? Shall we be diligent in our 
w r orldly business, but slothful in whatever concerns 
the eternal world ? Shall we be intent upon our 
temporal interests, but indifferent to our spiritual 
welfare? Shall we not, on the contrary, be ration- 
al and conscientious in all things, both with regard 
to ourselves and others — in private and public — in 
whatever pertains to the soul and the body — in 
whatever relates to time and eternity? In fine, shall 
we not pay a due attention, implying correspondent 
exertion, to all onr rational* interests, temporal, 
spiritual and eternal? 

* Right-reason always accords with revelation. 
There are many things, indeed, in which reason i» 



AND GUARDIAN. 199 

We again turn to the sacred oracles, which so 
often unfold to us the great and glorious truths of 
our holy religion, and present to our view the "ark 
of safety," into which believers have entered, and 
in which they out-ride every storm of life. And, 
reason cannot do better than to wait upon revela- 
tion: "in the divine light we shall see light." And 
as reason, in consequence of its being comparative- 
ly a small light, leads us to revelation; so revelation 
instructs reason, assigns to it its proper place, 
keeps it within its proper limits, corrects its aber- 
rations, humbles its false or presumptous estimates 
and makes its subsidiary to its true interests, and o- 
bedientto the voice of its Lord and Master, speak- 
ing by his spirit through the inspired pages ! 

'Father of mercies ! in Thy word 
What endless glory shines! 

Forever be thy name adored, 

short sighted/ and there are many things, which, as 
we have already seen, reason cannot comprehend! 
But reasoit can be alike instructed and improved; 
can come to the universal Parent, and receive with 
meekness his 'ingrafted ivord^ the word of eternal 
truth, and thus grow in grace and knowledge; im- 
prove every mental, moral and religious opportuni- 
ty; and so think, speak, and act for eternity, in 
humble and prayerful dependance upon divine 
guidance and support! 

f See the introduction. 

Kl 



200 CHRISTIANAS GUIDE 

For these celestial lines. 
Here may the wretched sons of want 

Exhaustless riches find ; 
Riches above what earth can grants 

And lasting as the mind.' 

And therefore let every reader sav, 
'Sacred treasure, book divine! 
May ev'ry heart-felt word be mine!' 

But is right reason thine? — If so, thou canst net 
reject revelation: they perfectly accord with each 
other. Religion is indeed a reasonable service. Rea- 
son and revelation therefore, form a liavpy union: 
and as the moon reflects the light of the sun, so rea- 
son reflects the light of revelation. But let her 
not forget *her province! 'What has she that she 
has not received?' 1 Cor. 4. 7. Det her, therefore 
go through the wilderness of this world, 'leaning 
upon her beloved.' 'Who is she that looketh forth 
as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, 
and terrible as an army with banners? Gant. 6, 10. 
•The church of the living God, the pillar and 
the ground of the truth.' ITim. 3, 15. And with- 
out controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, 
God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit: 
seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believe. 
etl on in the world, received up into glory." 1 Tim. 
3,16 But 'he that belie veth on the son of God 



AND GUARDIAN. 201 

hath the witness in himself.' 1 John 5, 10. •There- 
fore, being 1 justified by faith, we have peace with 
Gocl, through our Lord Jesus Christ.' Rom. 5,1; 
and have received the spirit of adoption, whereby 
we cry Abba, Father. The spirit itself bearetii 
witness with our spirit; that we are the children of 
God.' Rom. 8,15, 16. 'And if children, then heirs; 
heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.' Rom. 8, 
17 — and 'when Christ, who is our life shall appear, 
then shall we also appear with him in glory.' 
Collosians iii, 4. Hence "we consider our- 
selves as strangers and pilgrims on earth, and 
look forward to a city that hath durable founda- 
tions, whose "Builder and Maker is God.' Heb. xi, 
10, 14. 'And now by faith we behold the King of 
Zion, and the Canaan of unclouded day. Is. xxxiii, 
17. 'For faith is the substance of things hoped 
for and the evidence of things not seen" Heb. xi, 1. 
And shall we be unconcerned for careless and im- 
penitent sinners, and not warn them to flee from the 
wrath to come," and to lay hold upon the hope set 
before them in the gospel'? 

"Ofor a thousand tongues to sing 
My great Redeemer's praise ! 
The glories of my God and King, 
The triumphs of his grace! 
My gracious Master and my God, , 

( k2 



202 christian's guide 

Assist me to proclaim, 

To spread through all the earth abroad 

The honors of his name. 

Jesus, the name that calms our fears, 

That bids our sorrows cease; 

'Tis music in the sinners ears, 

*Tis life, and health, and peace. 5 ' 

And therefore 'turn ye to the strong hold, ye 
prisoners of hope." Zach. ix, 12. "Turn ye, turn 
ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die?' Ez^ 
xxxiii, 11. Have I any pleasure at all that the 
wicked should die? saith the Lord God; and not 
thai he should return from his ways and live? Ez. 
xviii, 23. and no longer presume upon divine for- 
bearance: because sentence against an evil work is 
not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the 
sons of men is fully set in them to do evil;" Ecc 
viii. 11.* 

* One of the most striking proofs of human in- 
fatuation that could be adduced, is the manifest per- 
version of the very means which are adapted, in ev- 
ery possible way, when rightly understood and 
properly applied to promote our temporal spirit- 
ual and eternal welfare! Are th< y common things? > 
Is the immortal soul undeserving of the utmost at- 
tention during our moment of probation for eternity? 
And shall we neglect to improve our priveleges, 
because they are so numerous? and be ungrateful 
for the blessings bestowed upon us, because they 
are 'new every morning'} and not turn and repent^ 



AND GUARDIAN, 203 

Most 'lamentable perversity! ingratitude of the 
deepest die ! Should not the goodness of God lead 
thee to repentance?" Rom. ii, 4. Now, therefore, 
'Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of 
understanding. 5 Prov. ix, 6. llepent, and turn 
yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity 
shall not prove your ruin" Ez. xviii, 30. If not, 
hear the voice of heaven proclai?n, 'behold } r e des- 
pisers, and wonder and perish/ Acts xiii, 41. 'He 
that despised Moses' law, died without mercy, un- 
der two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer 
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought wor- 
thy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, 
and hath counted the blood of the covenant, 
wherewith he was sanctified, * an unholy thing, 
and hath done despitef unto the spirit of grace?' 

and confess and forsake our sins, because the Al- 
mighty has borne so long with us} 'Do ye thus re- 
quite "the Lord? O foolish people and unwise.' 

'My God! may I no longer be 
A stranger to myself and Thee.' 

* The only means by which he could be sancti- 
fied. 

f This must be evident from both reason and 
revelation; for, in proportion to our light and 
knowledge, while we continue in unbelief and re- 
bellion, must be our guilt and condemnation. 

k3 



204 

Heb. x, 28,29. For the Lord Jesus, shall be re- 
vealed from heaven, with his mighty||angels, in 
flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know 
not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Je- 
sus Christ: who shall be punished with everi&st> 
ing destruction from the presence of the Lord and 
the glory of his power.' 2 Thes. i, 7, 9. Surely 
then, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of 
the living God." Heb. x, 31. And how shall we 
escape, if we neglect so great salvation ? " Heb. h, 
3. And therefore, 'Seek ye the Lord whilst he 
may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.'* 
Is. lv, 6. 

'Now he who turns to God shall live, 

Through his abounding grace: 
His mercy will the guilt forgive 

Of those who seek his face.' 

But, 'Delay not till to-morrow to be vvise: 

To-morrow's sun to thee may never rise J" 

This night thy soul may be required of thee. 
Luke x, 20. And is not death an awful season to 
the impenitent sinner? 

'Death/ 'tis a melancholy day 

To those that have no God, 
When the poor soul is forced awa> , 



AND GUARDIAN. 205 

To seek her last abode. 

In vain to heaven she lifts her eyes; 

For guilt, a heavy chain, 
Still drags her downward from the .skies, 

To darkness, fire and pain.' 

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE, 

It must be evident to all who have long habitua- 
ted themselves to close thinking — to a systematical 
course of mental and moral discipline, implying 
review, comparison, reflection, self examination, 
&c. that the evils which result from the common 
deficiency in all these respects are innumerable! 
And it must be no less obvious, that all the general 
instructions in the world cannot effectually obviate 
those evils, or serve as a substitute for that system 
of mental and moral discipline! Not a system con- 
taining so many rules, &c. but a system founded 
upon the eternal and immutable mental and moral 
law of the universe! A system including allrighU 
as opposed to all wrong; right-reason, in opposition 
to reason falsely so called; an enlightened and iendej 
conscience, in opposition to an evil conscience, so ren- 
dered by long persistance in an evil course; and a 
close and constant adherance to the doctrines and 
precepts of our l}oly religion, authenticated and 

k4 



206 CHPaSTlAN's GUIDE 

confirmed by God himself, in opposition to every 
thing of an opposite character! And what does all 
this imply? * * * And what does 

all this demand and require? * * * 

Let us suppose, for the sake of illustration, that 
the whole world is our arena for mental and moral 
action; that the whole is literally before us, like a 
garden divided, sub-divided, &c. and that we are 
required to pay due attention to the whole, for all 
the various purposes which would be enumerated 
to us: and that we must give an account of ourselves 
and our employment, particularly, as well as gen- 
erally, at twelve o'clock in the morning, and six 
o'clock in the evening, of each and every day, 
including, in the account given in at twelve o'clock, 
a review and self-examination for the twenty-four 
hours, both commencing and closing at twelve o'- 
clock each day, and including a correct and impar_ 
tial account of our thoughts, words and actions 
during that period. Thus: whether we were well 
acquainted with all the details of our business, in 
its several departments; whether we had been con- 
scientious in all respects; whether we had distinctly 
understood and reviewed the last lecture; whether 
we had devoted so much time to private prayer, 
and reading the scriptures, &c. ; whether our having 
attended too long to one thing had not occasioned 
our omitting something else,- whether we had not 



AND GUARDIAN. 21)1 

been influenced by customs, usages, &c. instead of 
being invariably guided and guarded by our Lord 
and Master, with our mental and moral standard 
before, and whether any thing of a contrary char- 
acter had occasioned neglect, forget fulness, or an 
imperceptible departure from our course; and 
whether our conscience is tender, our perception 
of good and evil clear and distinct, our habits of 
review, comparison, &c. according with the mental 
and moral standard ! So that we never form a hasty 
judgment, either with regard to ourselves or others; 
but that our judgment of men and things is accord- 
ing to truth: and that while we lay no dress upon 
things of a 'purely indifferent character, with regard 
to forms, modes, See. we lay the utmost stress upon 
whatever is mentally, morally and scripturally re- 
quired and demanded of us, in the light of reason, 
conscience and scripture/ This subject we clearly 
perceive, might be variously presented and illus- 
trated: and necessarily implies all those modifica- 
tions, &c. which result from our condition and cir^ 
cumstances; but never — never — never does or can 
preclude a due attention to whatever is implied in a 
correct view of our mental and moral standard, the 
eternal and immutable mental and moral standard of 
the universe! And does it not follow, that Christians 
more especially, cannot be too vigilant over them- 
selves, that their 'good may not be evil spoken of; 9 
k5 



208 

that they may not be mistaken by first impressions,- 
that 'they may not grieve those whom their Lord 
and Master would not grieve;' that they may learn 
to diligently compare things with each other, and 
duly weigh all the relations and bearings of both 
things and persons, in whatever is comprised in 
their private, social and public character! And 
thus conform to the divine injunction, 'judge not, 
jhat ye be not judged.' Mat. vii. 1. And should 
the}' not often meditate upon these words, 'what do 
ye more than others?' Mat, v. 47. # • * * 
And pray for the enlightning and sanctifying in- 
fluences of the Holy Spirit, that they may be 
'spiritually minded, which is life and peace;' that 
they may be as the salt* of the earth — the dew of 
heaven — the light of the world; that they may al" 
ways blend the wisdom of the serpent with the 
harmlessness of the dove, and adorn the doctrine 
of God their Saviour in ail things? 

And thus we behold as in a glass the glory of the 
Lord, till changed into the same image! 2 Cor. hi. 
18. Holy religion of the bible! We hail thee with 
delight! Divine Saviour! We would have 'all 
the mind in us that was in thee.' Phil, ii. 5. We 
would 'follow thee in the regeneration.' Mat. xix. 

* See Mat. v. 13-14. Deut. xxxii. 2. Rom. viii- 
6. ITim. I 5. 1 Peter iii. 8-11. Titus ii. 10. Heb- 
xii. 14. 



AND GUARDIAN. 209 

S8. We would, Tike thee, and 'through the grace 
which is in thee/ do good and suffer evil. Heb. 
xii. 2-3. Titiis.ii. 1; and go through 'evil report 
and good report; :is deceivers, and yet true; as un- 
known, and vet well known; as dying, and behold, 
we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, 
yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many 
rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.' 
2 Cor. vi. 8-10. And we would be conformed to 
thy word in all things. Rom. xii. 1. 'Not slothful in 
business; fervent in spirit, serving the, Lord; re- 
joicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing 
instant in prayer. 5 Rom. xii. 11-2. 'Loving our 
enemies, blessing them that curse us, doing good 
to them that hate us, and prawing for them that 
despitefully use and persecute us:' 'and as we 
have opportunity doing good unto all men, espe- 
cially unto them who are of the house-hold of faith.' 
Mat. v. 44. Gal. xii. 10. And to Father, Son and 
Holy Spirit, shall be all the glory, forever and ever. 
Amen. 

'How happy they who know the Lord, 
With whom he deigns to dwell! 

He feeds and cheers them by his word, 
His arm supports them well.* 



K6 



210 



SECTION IX* 

A SCRIPTURAL EXHIBITION OF JUS.T?C£ 
AND GRACE, AND TRUTH AND HOLI- 
NESS. 

'Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy 
throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.' 
Ps. Ixxxix. 14. 

'Be ye holy; for I am holy.' 1 Peter i. 16. 

'All-seeing, all-pow'rful God! 

Who can with thee contend? 
Or who that tries th' unequal strife, 

Shall prosper in ths end?' 

'My grateful soul forever praise, 

Forever love his name, 
Who turn'd thee from the fatal paths 

Of folly, sin and shame!' 

'Not by works of righteousness which we have 
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by 
the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the 
Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, 
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.' Titus iii. 5. 

'And you hath he quickened, who were dead in 
tresspasses and sins.' Eph. ii. 1. 



AND GUARDIAN. , 211 

*By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that 
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.' Eph. ii. 8. 

But 'faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being; 
alone.' 'For as. the body without the spirit is dead, 
so faith without works is dead also.' James ii. 17- 
26. 

Yet 'the law was our school-master, to bring us 
unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.* 
Gal. iii. 24. 

'Therefore, being justified by faith, we have 
peace with. God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.' 
Rom. v. 1. 

For the Lord Jesus 'was delivered for our offen - 
ces, and was raised again for our justification.' 
Horn. iv. 24. 

And as the Lord Jesus died for our sins, so should 
we die to our sins! 'Therefore,' Christians, 'reck- 
on ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, 
hut alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' 
Kom. vi. 11. 

'That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so 
might grace reign, through righteousness, unto eter- 
nal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.' Rom. v. 21. 

It is evident, therefore, from the declaration of 
the sacred scriptures, that 'neither circumcision 
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith 
which worketh by love.' Gal. v. 6. 

'Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new 
k7 



212 christian's guidi? 

creature: old tilings are passed away 5 behold, all 
things are become new.' 2 Cor. v. 17. 

And the new creature — the true believer in the 
Lord Jesus Christ — brings forth 'all those fruits- of 
righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the 
glory and praise of God.' Phil. i. II. And 'herein 
is my Father glorified,' saith the Saviour, 'that ye 
bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.' John 
xv. 1, And the fruits of the Spirit are enumera- 
ted: 'love, joy, peace, long-sufFerlng, gentleness* 
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:' and they 
'that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the 
affections and lusts.' Gal. v. 22. 24. 

Let us now, therefore, duly weigh and consider 
\a hat follows. 

DIVINE INVITATIONS. 

'Look unto me, and be ye saved* all the ends of 
the earth. 5 Is. Iv. 22. 

'Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord 
shall be saved, 5 Rom, x. 13. 

But what is said of those who reject these gra- 
cious invitations? 'Wo unto them, for they have 
fled from me.' Hos. vii. 13. 

'Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have 
life. 5 John v. 40. 

Hence we are again led to consider the following 
declarations: 'Without me ye can do nothing.' John 



AND GUAKDIAN. 213 

:xv. 5. *I have planted, Apollos watered; but God 
gave the increase.' 1 Cor. iii. 5. 'Our sufficiency 
is of God.' 2 Cor. iii. 5. 'I can do all things 
through Christ which strengthened me.' Phil. h\ 
13. 'We had the sentence of death in ourselves, 
that Tie should not trust in ourselves, but in God. 9 
1 Cor. i. 9. 'I thank God, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord.* Rom. vii. 25. 

Hence it must be obvious to us, from a connected 
view of the sacred scriptures, that the doctrines of 
the glorious gospel, are doctrines according to God- 
liness: that the divine oracles present to our enlight- 
ened view the most perfect agreement and harmony z 
doctrines and precepts; faith and works, premises 
and threatenings; life and death; human inability 
and divine sufficiency; heaven as the reward of free 
grace, and hell as the portion of the hypocrites and 
unbelievers: and as the completion of the whole, 
the penitent sinner — the true believer, will he saved 
with an everlasting salvation; and the impemfenl 
sinner — the unbeliever, damned with an everlasting 
destruction: and the Lord Jesus glorified! The 
former came to him, and were saved: the latter would 
not come to him, and were lost! To the former, he 
was the savor of life unto life: to the latter, of death 
unto death. Hence the divine commission : ' And he 
said unto them,' unto his disciples, 'go ye into all 
the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, 



214 CHRISTIAN S GUIDE 

He that 'bciieveth and is baptized shall be saved; 
but he that believeth not shall be damned.' Mark 
xvi. 15. 16. 'And these shall go away info everlast- 
ing punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. 9 
Mat. xxv. 46. 

And thus the sacred scriptures set before us life 
and death, good and evil, blessing 1 and cursing, 
heaven and hell! Deut.xxx. 19. And do they not 
evidently comprise heights and depths, and lengths 
and breadths cf wisdom and knowledge, in which 
all true Christians are agreed? 2 Peter i. 3. 

Here, then, we behold streams, in which infants 
may wade: and depths, in which elephants may swim! 
'Hence the sacred scriptures are 'profitable for 
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction 
in righteousness: that the man of God may be per- 
fect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.' 2 
Tim. iii, 16. 

SECTION X . 
RELIGION A REASONABLE SERVICE. 

'Godlixess with contentment is great gain.' 1 
Tim. vi. G. r 

'Godliness is profitable unto all things, having 
promise of the life that now is, and of that which is 
to come.' 1 Tim. iv. 8. 



AND GUARDIAN. 815 

And therefore we should obey the injunction: 
*Prove all things: hold fast that which is good.' 1 
Thess. v.21. 

And religion will ( do us good, and not evil, all the 
■days of our life. 9 'Her ways are ways of pleasant- 
ness, and all her paths are peace,' Prov. iii. 17. 

And yet it is a very commonly received opinion, 
that religion deprives its posessors of many plea- 
sures; often clouds their brow with heaviness, and 
precludes them of that freedom of speech and ac- 
tion which should be deemed desirable: and that, 
on the contrary, those who do not profess religion, 
are untrammelled, and more at large, ivith a vast 
field of enjoyment before them,, and that they may, 
in due connection with this latitude, be good meral 
men, good citizens and useful members of society! 
It is acknowledged, indeed, that Christians may, 
perhaps do enjoy a species of happiness, to which 
they themselves are strangers. But they do not 
appear disposed to take the one with the other: the 
draw-back might be too great/ 

What, then, are we to understand by religion — 
what does it imply? An entire dedication to the 
divine service — a conformity to the divine will and 
word in all things, in thought, word and action. In 
a word, supreme love to God, producing love to 
our fellow-creatures. And what is this but the sum 
and substance of Christian faith and practice — «&» 
k9 



216 christian's guide 

cessarily including' a pure and unexceptionable 
system of morality, adapted to our due relation to 
God and all created intelligences? And we have 
seen, that the immutable moral law of the universe, 
Isalike rational and scriptural; alike adapted to 
promote 'glory to God in the highest, and on earth 
peace, good will towards men.'* And what fol- 
lows? That all our thoughts, words and actions, 
are either religious or irreligious, pleasing or dis- 
pleasing to God; and that, by a parity of reason, 
•they are either moral or immoral, as they do or do 
not accord with the eternal moral standard of the 
universe/ 

•What, then, are we to understand by the common- 
place remark, 'Religion is very good in its place?' 
* In its place!' How? Is there any place where it 
should not be? Should it not be all-pervading? 
Should we suppose that religion is local and not 
general; that we should attend to it on the Sabbath, 
but not on common days,- that it is very well for the 
church, but not for the domestic mansion; or suitable 
for stated or extraordinary seasons, but not for other 
times or seasons? If so, and if we could only be 
religious at certain times and places, what should we 
be at other times and places? * * Should 
we not be always religious? Whether we eat or 

* See chapter v, prefatory note. 



ANB GUARDIAN. 217 

drink, go out or come in, lie down or rise up, should 
we not be in the fear of the Lord— should we not 
be watchful and prayerful — should we not avoid all 
evil and pursue all good ? And should we not, in 
fine, 'do all things to the glory of God ?' * * * 
Right-reason and scripture reply in the affirma- 
tive. Rom. xii. 1. ICor.x. 31. We should, hv 
deed, set apart certain times and seasons for special 
purposes, both with regard to retirement and social 
intercourse, the sanctuary and public societies and 
institutions of a truly legitimate character. But it is 
equally true, that we should be religious in any one 
place, as well as in any other; in social intercourse, 
as w*ell as in retirement; in our worldly business, as 
well as in the public services of religion: and that 
every house should be a house of God; and that 
the father of every family should be a domestic 
minister! And can we suppose, that the Author 
and Giver of all good requires of us any thing that 
is not reasonable; that does not accord with the 
nature of things; that is not adapted to promote 
our temporal, spiritual and eternal welfare? Im- 
possible! 'Like as a father pitieth his children, so 
the Lord pitieth them that fear him.' Ps. ciiL 13. 
And 'he will fulfil the desire (the rational and scrip- 
tural desire) of them that fear him.' Ps. cxlv. 19. 
And they 'shall know, if they follow on to know 
the Lord, that his going 1 forth is prepared as the 



213 christian's guide 

morning; (that his favorable presence will be with 
them, like the regular light emitted from the sun:) 
that he will not turn away from doing them good; 
that they shall find him to be a present help in 
every time of trouble; that his service is perfect 
freedom; that he will give grace here, and glory 
hereafter: no good thing will he withhold from 
them that walk uprightly. Hos. vi. 3. Ez. xxxiv. 
30-31. Jer. xxxii. 40. Ps. xlvi. 1. 1 Cor.vii. 22. 
Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. Is not all this reasonable? Is not 
all this scriptural? 

SECTION XI. 
T]HE CHRISTIAN PORTRAIT. 

Christ: Christian — a true follower of Christ. 

Be Christ my pattern and my guide! 

His image may I bear! 
Oh! may I tread his sacred steps, 

And his bright glories share.' 

'Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of 
Christ.' 1 Cor. xi, 1. Giving thanks unto the fa- 
ther who hath made vis meet to be partakers of the^ 
inheritance of the saints in light: who hath deliver 
ed us from the power of darkness, and hath trans 
Jated us into the kingdomof his dear son, in whom 



AND GUARDIAN. 219 

we have redemption through his blood, even the 
forglvness of sins.' Col. i, 13, 14. 'If any man 
serve me let him follow me; and where I am, there 
shall also my servant be.' John xii, 26. And what 
is the scriptural representation of a Christian? 'One 
who has confessed and forsaken his sins,' 'one who 
has repented and believed the gospel.' Prov. jxviii. 
13. Mark, 1, 15: and brings forth fruit, thirty, six- 
ty, or a hundred fold. Mark iv. 20. And what 
is his language ? After a long and laborious life, in 
the service of his Lord and Master, he prays with 
deepest humiliation and contrition, 'O Lord,* for- 
give my sins of omission.' 

A Christian! a suppliant at the throne of Grace, 
and mercy! Behold him at the brink of Jordan !f 
He had been instant in season and out of season; 
reproving, rebuking, exhorting, with all long suf- 
fering and doctrine.' 'His heart was always in his 
work' and what was his language? ( In Christ every 
tiling, out of him nothing. 9 And what was his 
language to a friend who visited him a short time 
before his death ? 'Brother, we are only half a- 
wake — we are none of us more than half awaked' 

* Arch -bishop Usher. 

fthe Rev. Leih Richmond. 

if Might it not be said, with the utmost truth, 
propriety and force — 'The man i^yet unborn who 



220 christian's guide 

'Brother, brother, strong evidences, nothing but 
strong evidences will do at such an hour as this. I 
have looked here and looked there for them — all 
have failed me and so I cast myself on the sover- 
eign, free, and full grace of God in the covenant of 
Christ Jesus: and there> brother, (looking at me 
with a smile of tranquility quite indescribable, and 
which I shall never forget) there I have found 
peace." A Christian! Behold him, after he had 
travelled many thousand miles, by land and by wa- 
ter, and proclaimed the gospel to hundreds and 
thousands, and had probably been instrumental to 
the conversion of many thousands; after he had 
written and transcribed many books — after he had 
long laboured^ and not fainted — long borne the 
'burden and heat of the day,' and given an impulse 
to both the old and the new world, which has 
spread wider and wider, and will still spread wid- 
er and wider till the end of time and— tell — teU 
forever ox the annals of ETERNITY ! Look 
at him in his dying moments! What did he say? 'I 
the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me! 3 

duly weighs an hour.' And is there a man, a true 
Christian, upon the face of the earth, whose eyes 
are more than half open, with regard to the unut- 
terable importance of divine and eternal things? 

* The Rev. John Wesley, the great apostle 
of Methodism. 



AND GUARDIAN • 22 1 

Man of God! thou dost rest from thy labours; and 
thy works do follow thee. 5 A. Christian ! Look at 
him* — traversing deserts, visiting savage Indians, 
weeping day and night for the moral desolation a- 
ro'und him! Look at him, see his countenance 
beaming with gratitude for the rich display of di- 
vine goodness and mercy which he had witnessed 
and to which he had been instrumental! Look at 
him! What deep selfabnsement! What a piercing 
perception of his own insufficiency, without the 
power of divine grace! while the solitary place 
was made glad, and the desert rejoiced and blos- 
somed as the rose." A Christian! what does he 
meet with? 'All who will live godly in Christ Jesus 
shall suffer persecution!" But if we suffer with him 
'we shall also reign with him,' but if we deny him, 
he also will deny us." 

'Am I a soldier of the cross, 

A follower of the Lamb ? 
And shall I fear to own his cause 

Or blush to hear his name? 

Shall I not go forth and labour in his vine)'ard? 
Has not my Lord and Master; my gracious redeem- 
er, something for me to do? 'Son (daughter too) go 

* The Kev. David Brainard, that zealous and 
faithful missionary of the cross! Read his journal, a, 
rich treasury to the Christian. 



222 christian's guide 

work to-day, in my vineyard." Is it not a privilege? 
Christian! Christian minister! Heralds of ike cross! 
Is it not a privilege, a great privilege — an un- 
speakably great and precious privilege? Yes, you 
reply, and the word reverberates through every 
true Christian's heart! Therefore look for great 
things! expect great things! attempt great things V 7 
And be humble, watchful, prayerful! 'Put on the 
whole armour of God' set your faces like a flint 
towards Zion ! and go forth under the banner of the 
great captain of our salvation, bearing his mandate 
upon your forehead! go forth conquering and to 
conquer! This is the 'age of action!' you will have 
time enough to rest in heaven ! 

Still what does the Christian meet with? He is 
troubled on every side:' without are. fightings, with- 
in are fears" But what does he say? 'None of 
these things move me,' 'But in all things ap- 
proving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much 
patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses 
in stripes, in, imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, 
in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowl- 
edge, by long suffering, by kindness by the Holy 
Ghost, by love unfeigned; by the word of truth, by 
the power of God, by the armour of righteousness 
on the right hand and on the left, by honor and 
dishonor, by evil report and good report: as de. 
ceivers, and yet true; as unknown and yet well 



AND GUARDIAN. 223 

known; as dying- and behold, we live; as chastened, 
and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; 
as poor, yet making many rich: as having* nothing, 
and yet possessing all things. All things! Reader, 
what is thy condition? What dost thou possess? 
But again turn to the Christian. Ml things! 
Where? Both here and hereafter! For godliness 
is profitable unto all things, having the promise of 
the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 5 
Therefore, if thou hast not already. Now 'seek ye 
first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness -> 
and all these things shall be added unto you.' Be 
not faithless but believing/ and then you will be 
able to say, 'Let no man glory in men;' let no man 
glory in the honors, and pomps and pleasures of 
this world: and 'Thus saith the Lord, let not the 
wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let tiie 
mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich 
man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth, 
glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth 
me, that I am the Lord, that exerciseth loving 
kindness, and judgment and righteousness in the 
earth; for in these things I delight saith the Lord.' 
Jer. ix 23, 24. And then rest assured that all 
things are yours; whether Paul or Apollos, or Ce- 
phas or the world, or life, or death, or things pres- 
ent, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are 
Christ's and Christ is God's. 5 1 Cor. iii, 21, 23* 



224 christian's guide 

Truely then, Jesus Christ is all in all to his true fol- 
lowers! He is made of God unto them, wisdom 
and righteousness, sanctificatlon and redemption.' 
He is their light, their life, their hope, their jo} ! 
1 Cor. i, 30. He has gone to prepare mmsions of 
glory for them, that 'where he is, there they may 
be also! John xiv, 3. And they shall be like him, 
for they shall see him as he is!' shall be traasform- 
intohis heavenly image! And now, even now how 
he manifests himself to the Christian! In his light, 
he sees light; the true light of spiritual life! and look 
at his hope! *A hope full of immortality and ever- 
lasting life.' And at his joy! A joy unspeakeble 
and full of glory.' And therefore, says the Chris, 
tian, 'we faint not;' for 'though our outward man 
perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 
For our light affliction which is but for a moment, 
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal 
weight of glory; while we look not at the things 
which are seen, but at the things which are not 
seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; 
but the things which are not seen are eternal.' 
Thus the Christian walks by faith — not by sight,' 
and faith is to him 'the substance[(or subsistance) of 
things hoped for and the evidence of things not 
seen." And as he becomes stronger and stronger 
in faith, as he exercises himself more and more 
unto godliness, as he labours and strives and a- 



AND GUARDIAN. 225 

bounds more and more in every work of faith, and 
in all the patience of hope; and in ail the labour of 
love; as he more and more puts on the Lord Jesus 
Christ, beholding* as in a glass his glory; as he still 
more and more walks worthy of the high vocation 
wherewith he is called; as he 'gives all diligence to 
make his calling and election sure,' and works out 
his salvation with fear and trembling' and as he 
therefore, 'adds to his frith virtue; and to virtue 
knowledge, and to knowledge temperance ;? and 
to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 
and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brother- 
ly kindness charity, that great 'bond of Christian 
perfection:' as he adds all these things, comprises 
all these Christian virtues and graces in his'Chris- 

* Temperance. — Christians, are required, to 'be 
temperate in all things;' and not to 'touch taste, 
nor handle the unclean thing:' whatever is injuri- 
ous to society ! and what is more injurious to socie- 
ty than strong drink? And should they not set a 
good example in this very important respect, and 
follow the apostolic injunction: 'give no offence,, 
neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles,* nor to the 
church of God'l Cor. xx, 32 Prov.'xx, 1, and 23, 
29,35. Hab. ii, 15. And should they not bear in 
mind, that if there were no temperate drinkers, 
there would in a comparatively short time, be very 
few if any, intemperate persons! Look at facts, 
look at the history of the world. See appendix 
G. 



226 

tian character. He grows up into Christ his living 
head in all things'! And as all these things are ia 
him and abound. So he is neither barren nor un- 
fruitful in the knowledge of his Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ: and therefore he goes on |[his way re- 
joicing. 'The path of the just is as Jthe shining 
light, which shines brighter and brighter unto the 
perfect day," and it is thus that his divine Master 
fulfils in 'him all the good pleasure of his goodness 
and the work of faith with power, 5 and thus the 
'name of the Lord Jesus is glorified in him, and he 
in him. 5 'He that glorieth: 5 therefore, 'let him 
glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth 
himself is approved, but whom the Lord "com- 
mendeth. 5 'God forbid, 5 then, 'that I should glory, 
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by 
whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto 
the world. 5 * We again look at the Christian, as he 
treads in the footsteps of his Lord and Master, 'go- 
ing "about doing good. 5 We behold in him the 
meekness and gentleness of Christ, 5 'who, when'he 
was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered 
he threatened not; but committed himself to him 

* the reader will perceive, that in a work of this 
character, the occasional repetition of quotations, 
rppears to be proper, if not necessary, and more 
especially the language of the sacred scriptures. 



AND GUARDIAN. 227 

that judgeth righteously.' Let us attend to the lan- 
guage of his faithful follower, while engaged in his 
earthly vineyard: 

'We both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and 
are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; 
and labc-r,* working with our own hands: being re- 
viled, we bless: being persecuted, we suffer it. 
Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the 
filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all 
things unto this day.' Surely in that great apostle 
'patience had its perfect work, that he might be 
perfect and entire, wanting nothing;' surely he ex- 
emplified the Christian religion in his life and con- 
versation; surely all could 'take knowledge of him 
that he had been with Jesus;' and surely he could 
say, as he did say, and with peculiar emphasis, 'Be 
ye followers of me, even as I am of Christ.' Thus 
did his faith work by love — thus was his heart puri- 

* The perversity of the human mind is never 
more apparent, that when it avails itself of the for- 
bearance and self-denial of an individual, to throw 
off from itself 'the discharge of a required duty ! The 
same apostle informs us, 'that he became all things 
to all men, that he might by all means save some.' 
To the weak he became as weak, &c. But we are 
also informed, that 'the laborer is worthy of his 
hire;' and that 'the Lord, hath ordained, that they 
who preach the gospel should live of the gospel,' 
Comment is unnecessary. 



228 

fied by a living faith — thus did he dwell in God, and 
God in him > by the Spirit which he had given him; 
thus was he enabled to live the gospel — to show 
forth that charity which is long-suffering and kind; 
which envieth not; which doth not vaunt itself and 
is not puffed up; which doth not behave itself un- 
seemly; which is not easily provoked, or rather, 
which is not provoked, but enables the Christian in 
patience to possess his soul; which thinketh or im- 
agineth no evil; which rejoiceth not in iniquity — in 
any thing of which it should be ashamed, but re- 
joiceth in the truth: and which, in fine, 'beareth all 
things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, cn- 
dureth all things.' 

Let us now view the great apostle, when near 
the last closing scene of his very eventful life — 
when ho was beheaded by Nero! He had long 
desired to depart and be with Christ, which he 
knew would he. far better: for him to live was Christ; 
but to die was gain! Header, would it be gain for 
thee to die? But let ut again hear him: *I am now 
ready to be offered, and the time of my departure 
is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have fin- 
is] icd my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth 
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, 
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give 
me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all 



AND GUARDIAN. 229 

them also that love his appearing.' Now, reader, 
see the Christian's sun setting in unclouded 
day! And what dost thou now say? Dost thou 
love and look far the appearing of the Lord ? Behold, 
he eoraeth in clouds, and every eye shall see him. 
And dost thou wish to die the death of the righteous 
— the death of the Christian? Wilt thou not, then, 
live the liffc of the righteous— the life of the Chris* 
Han? 2 Tim. iv. C-3 Rev. I 1 . 1Q. 



CHAPTER V. 



GROUND- WORK OF VICE AND ERROR.* 

'Faults in the life breed errors in the brain! 

And these, reciprocally, those again! 
The mind and conduct mutually imprint, 

And stamp their image on each other's mint/ 

Cowper. 

'Be feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath 
turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, 
nor say, is there not a lie in my right hand?' Is. xliv. 
20. 

Let us, therefore, 'prove all things:' and let us 
*hold fast that which is good.' 1 Thess. v. 21. 

* Every intelligent being has a moral standard—* 
whether he knows it or not; and which, from the 
very nature of things, must be right or wrong, true 
or false, both in kind and degree, without reference 
to human imperfections, frailties, &c. abstractly con- 
sidered. Hence we like or dislike, approve or con- 
demn, according to our own views and impressions 
of men and things! But all this, which is corrob- 
orated by facts innumerable — neither does nor can 
£0 to prove, that there is not a sure, unerring mor- 
al standard! But on the contrary, points out to us, 
with the most resistless demonstration — the unut- 



232 christian's guide 

'For the time is come that judgment must begin 
at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what 
shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel 
of God?' 1 Peter iv. 17. 

And 'what shall the end be' of all who turn the 
grace of our God into lasclviousness, and who will 
not come to the light, and have the true state of 
their hearts, minds and all their thoughts, words 
and actions — made manifest to them — made manifest 
to them through the spiritual glass of the divine law, 
under the spiritual teaching, of the divine Spirit? 
Judei.3. Johniii.19. Rom. vii. 9. 

And 'what shall the end be' of .the 'scoffers of the 
last days.' 2 Peter hi. 3; and of all who resist the 
truth: men of corrupt mmds, reprobate concerning 
the faith? 2 Tim. ui. 8. 

terable importance of such a standard— a truly ra- 
tional and scriptural standard — for all countries, 
ages and conditions — for the human family! And 
where is it to be found? Right-reason and con- 
science, unseared or benumbed, asks ior, and when 
found, directs us to revelation! And therefore we 
most gladly receive that inestimable treasure, and 
through the same divine grace by which it was im- 
parted — render to our Creator and Redeemer — a 
truly rational, conscientious and scriptural service! 
And so far as we conform to our standard, so far and 
no farther, is our judgment of men and things ac- 
cording to truth.* 

* See appendix D. 



AND GUARDIAN. 23S 

Are they not self-influenced by all the deceivable- 
ness of unrighteousness, because they receive not 
the truth in the love of it, and will not come 
to Christ and be saved ? 2 Thess. ii. 10. John v. 
40. 

And do they not 'withstand' those whose 'ear 13 
open to instruction,' and endeavor to turn them 
away from the faith of the gospel; and thus prove 
that they are alike enemies to the revelation pro- 
claimed to them — 'sinners against their own souls/ 
and as far as possible instrumental to the destruc- 
tion of others? Acts xiii. 8. Prov. xviii. 15. Num. 
xvi. 38. And by 'reason of them the way of truth 
is evil spoken of,' and they are known by their hard 
speeches against the truth, and therefore 'God 
sends them strong delusion (leaves them to them- 
selves, and then they become strong in their own 
self-deception, J that they all may be damned who 
believe not the truth,' (though so strongly attested 
and so often proclaimed,) but have pleasure in un- 
righteousness: and thus they bring upon themselves 
swift destrnction. 2 Thess. ii. 10-12. 2 Peter ii. 1- 
2. Jude i. 15. 2 Tim. iv. 4. 

But what shall we say to all those who are instru- 
mental to the salvation of many souls, and who are 
continually witnessing the downfall of vice and 
error? Brethren, pray for us, that the word of the 
Lord may have free course and be glorified, even 



234 christian's gujee 

as it is with you: and that we may be delivered from 
unreasonable and wicked men. 2 Thess. 3.1-2 — 
that we may 'labor and not faint.' Rev. ii. 3— that 
we may be 'able to withstand in the evil day, and 
having- done all, (having made every effort, through 
the strength which is freely imparted to us,) to 
stand,' Eph. vi. 13; and 'come off more than con- 
querors,' Rom. viii. 37, and be enabled to exclaim, 
even with our dying breath, 'thanks be to God, 
who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus 
Christ., 1 Cor. xv. 57. 

'Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stead- 
fast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of 
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is 
not in vain in the Lord.' 1 Cor. xv. 58 . 

( happy soul, that lives on high, 

While men lie grov'ling here! 
His hopes are fix'd above the sky, 

And faith forbids his fear.' 

And what shall we now say to all the impenitent 
and unbelieving — to all who are alike condemned 
by the law and the gospel — to the mere formalist, 
who has ( a name to live,' but is spiritually 'dead' — 
to all the votaries of vice and error — to all who are 
prophecying smooth things to themselves, and thus 
gliding down to eternal wo? See Luke xijz. 3. 
Rev. xxi. 8. Gal. hi. 10. Rev. hi. 1. Jer. xxiii. 



AND GUARDIAN. .235 

And what shall we say to the young and thought- 
less — to those who are easily seduced by a destroy- 
er? Wilt thou be any longer deceived by the 
syren song of giddy mirth and frivolity, and follow 
those who cannot befriend thee in the dead moment 
when God will demand thy soul? Wilt thou not 
from this time cry unto him, 'my Father, thou art 
the guide of my youth?' Jer. iii. 4. And he will 
'deliver thee from going 1 down to the pit.' Job 
xxxiii. 24. he will deliver thy soul from death, 
thy feet from falling, and thou shalt walk before 
him in the light of the living. Ps. lvi. 13, and he 
will 'guide thee by his counsel through life, and at 
death receive thee to glory. Ps. lxxiii. 24. But if 
not, what must we say unto thee, 'Rejoice, O young 
man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in 
the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy 
heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know 
thou, that for all these things, God will bring th~e 
into judgment.' Ecc. xi. 9. What is now the Ian 
guage of thy heart' * * * 

'Prepare me, Lord, to meet that day, 

Ere yet it be too late, 
When I shall view those solemn scenes, 

And feel their awful weight.' 

'And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall 

the ungodly and the sinner appear?' 1 Peter iv. 18, 

Ll 



236 CHRISTIAN^ GUIDE 

'Can thy heart endure, and thy hands be strong 
when I shall deal with thee, saith the Lord.' Ez* 
xxii. 14. 

'Terrible God! who reigns on high, 
How awful is thy thund'ring hand! 

Thy fiery bolts, how fierce they fly ! 
Nor can all earth or hell withstand.' 

Therefore, -prepare for eternity— -attend to the voice 
of wisdom, before the brittle thread of thy life is 
cut, and hope, and mercy, and gospel grace, have 
fled forever! W hat" wouldst thou then say? 'How 
have I hated instruction, and my heart despised 
reproof; and I have not obeyed the voice of my 
teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instruc- 
ted me.' Prov. v, 12. And then, all thy sins, trans- 
gressions and iniquities — all thy vileness and abom- 
inations of heart and life — of thought, word and 
action — all would be displayed before thee! And 
what thou hadst done in darkness would be brought 
to the light/ 

'All thy secret guilt would be reveal'd— 
Nor the minutest circumstance conceal'd!' 

And therefor^, fellow-traveller to eternity, wilt 
thou not nolo come to the light? Wilt thou not now 
reason upon this inconceivably important subject 7 
And we repeat — because it cannot be too deeply 



AND GUARDIAN. 237 

impressed upon the mind — 'come, let us reason to- 
gether, saith the Lord.' 'Bring forth your strong 
reason?, saith the God of Jacob.' What, then, hast 
thou to say — why thou shouldst not make religion 
*-fthe great — the supreme— the all-pervading con" 
cern of thy life ? Evidence thou dost not need— 
unless thou hast — unhappily for thyself — shut thine 
eyes against the light of evidence and conviction! 
We are bold to affirm—that, considering the bible 
in a mere historical point of view— At has infinitely 
more evidence to sustain it — than any other records 
thai have been handed down to us, and which have 
never been disputed. It might, indeed, appear 
incredible, to those who have not closely read and 
deeply studied the subject — how many stale objec- 
iiims — groundless charges—false assumptions, and 
fabricated reports have been brought forward — times 
without numbersLT\& times without number refuted: 
and yet (most lamentable proofs of human perver- 
sity!) they are again — and again— -and again — ■ 
brought forward — as though they had never seen 
the light before! But is this reasonable? Does it 
comport with the boasted dignity of human nature? 
Does it comport with any correct idea of true honor, 
or common honesty, or fair dealing? Is it kind — 
humane — considerate — to wrest fair truth — and 
cheeiing hope — and the only sure remedy for the 
fallen sons and daughters of our common parents— 



238 CHRISTIANAS GUIDE 

and therefore, our own kindred by common de- 
scent — to wrest from them the only efficacious 
balm for every spiritual wound, and the only salu- 
tary cordial for every sin-stricken fear? and 

What? To present to them — the poisoned chalice 
of infidelity ? "What will that do for them! What 
has it done for any of its votaries? Sad scenes in- 
numerable, and appalling deaths without, number — 
have been recorded as so many beacons, for our 
instruction!* Look, for instance, at the death beds 
of Altamont, the honorable Frances Newport, 
Paine and Voltair.* And now we repeat the ques- 
tion, what has infidelity done for its votaries- -what' 
has it done for the world? The answer is before 
us in the history of the world! And therefore, 'mj 
soul, come not thou then, into their secret; and ta 
their assembly, mine honor, be not thou unite;!!' 
Let me rather die the death of a poor Hottentot, (a 

* 'Res-tore to me,' said the mother of Davlu. 
Hume to her son, 'restore to me, my son, that peace' 
which you have taken from me.' That he eoull 
not do! And what had he given her in return ' 
The answer is before us — a corrosion of spirit — - 
which religion alone could remove! 

We would earnestly recommend to our readers, 
a truly excellent little work, entitled 'The Seep- 
tick's Manual.' It abounds with cases in point, of 
the most thrilling character. See, also, 'The Con- 
fessions of Lackington,' the celebrated bookseller 
ef the muses. 



AND GUARDIAN. 23.9 

truly rich Hottentot,) blessed with the e hope of the 
gospel,' than to possess the wealth of the world, 
with the withering" and peace-destroying* curse of 
infidelity in my heart -j* and mind! Let us look at 
those who have been recovered from its vortex! 
Among the most prominent are lord Lyttleton, and 
the celebrated earl of Rochester. The former 
wrote a very able treatise on the conversion of St. 
Paul, which has never been answered by any infi- 
del. The confessions of the latter are well know n. 
Yet their direct bearing upon the subject before 
»&, more especially claims our attention. Of the 
•above work, Dr. Johnson entertained so high an 
opinion, that he said, 'the critic ought to read it for 
its elegance, the philosopher for its arguments, and 
• the saint for its piety.' . And it is well known, to 
every general reader, and to such we now appeal, 
that the earl of Rochester was a man of distinguish- 
ed talents, and noted for his infidel productions, 
and their deleterious consequences! Bishop Bur- 
net, one of the most accomplished scholars and 
eminent divines of the age, says of him, that 'lie 
was a great scholar, a great wit, and a great poet;' 
and it might be added, a great infidel! But what 

t See Nos. 227 and 192, premium tracts, pub- 
lished by 'the American Tract Society,' in which 
the most specious objections of infidels are ably 
refuted. 

l3 



240 christian's guide 

follows? That he was also, at length, uftvvswd 
like the prodigal in the gospel 'a great penitent?' 
What a happy termination, after beating about so 
long, among the rocks, and shoals, and quicksands 
of infidelity — after so long 'seeking rest and finding 
none' — after so long wearying himself in vain — af- 
ter exhausting the vocabulary of profane wit, and 
high-toned railery, and contemptuous defiance of 
God and truth, and heaven and hell! Reader, how 
often hast thou witnessed such scenes, heard such 
language, and shrunk with horror from such heaven- 
daring impiety? Are God and Christ, and time 
and eternity, and the joys of heaven and the tor- 
ments of hell, fit subjects for licentious wit, and 
sarcastic sneers, and malicious irony, and affected 
pleasure, and peals of heart-delusive laughter? I3 
there not a canker — a worm — a sting — a heart dis- 
ease — a mind 'ill at ease' — at the very root of such 
ill-natured conviviality? And how often is an air of 
false courage assumed, by those who are reckless 
of their true interests, rationally and scripturally 
considered— by those who cast oft' fear, (that fear 
of the Lord which is the beginning of true wisdom,) 
and restrain themselves from prayer to God? Ps. 
cxi, 10. Job xv, 4. And what an air of bold indif- 
ference to consequences — intent upon gratifying 
every corrupt propensity—throwing loose the 
reins of unhallowed desire, and pursuing the track 



AM> GUARDIAN. 241 

m a sin-disordered imagination, although ft should 
be ( what extreme infatuation!) at the dreadful ex- 
pense of eternal destruction! But are there any 
jovial companions in hell? Any songs of giddy 
merriment — any false delusive hopes, saying '£ 
shall have peace, though I walk in the imagina- 
tion of my heart?' Any cold indifference to the 
indiscribably awful realities of the eternal wo rid- 
any rising with eager expectation, 'with new-flush- 
ed hopes, to run the giddy round?' But we return 
to the modern prodigal ! Let us hear what he says, 
'Thescriptures, which had so often been the sub- 
ject of his merriment, now secured his esteem, and 
inspired delight; for they had spoken to his heart; 
the seeming absurdities and contradictions, fancied 
by men of corrupt and reprobate judgments, van- 
ished-; and he was brought to receive the truth in the 
love of it.' On another occasion, 'the greatest ob- 
jection to the bible/ he exclaimed, laying his hand 
upon his heart, *h a bad life!' 'Men love darkness 
rather than light, because their deeds are evil.' 
John iii, 19. And it was a source of keen distress 
to him, that he could not reclaim many of those 
whose minds he had poisoned. They would bring 
forward the fallacious arguments with which he 
had furnished them. He determined, however, to 
undo, as much as possible, the evil to which he haoj 

14 



224 

been instrumental: and therefore, published to the 
world his dying* confession. 

'For the benefit of all those whom I may have 
drawn into sin by my example and encouragement, 
I leave to the world this my last declaration, which 
1 deliver in the presence of the great God, who 
knows the secrets of all hearts, and before whom I 
am to be judged; that from the bottom of my soul 
I detest and abhor the whole course of my former 
wicked life: that I think I can never sufficiently 
admire the goodness of God, who has given me a 
true sense of my pernicious opinions, and vile prac- 
tices; by which I have hitherto lived without hope, 
and without God in the world; have been an open 
enemy to Jesus Christ, doing the utmost despite to 
the Holy Spirit of grace; and that the greatest tes- 
timoney of my charity to such is, to warn them, in 
the name of God, and as they regard the welfare of 
their immortal souls, no more to deny his being or 
liis providence, or despise his goodness; no more 
to make a mock of sin, or contemn the pure and 
excellent religion of my ever-blessed Redeemer; 
through whose merits alone, I, one of the greatest 
of sinners, do yet hope for mercy and forgiveness. 
Amen. J. ROCHESTER. 

'Delivered and signed in the presence of 

'Ann Rochester, and 

'R. Parsons. 
'June 19th, 1680.' 



AND GUARDIAN. 243 

And should it not serve as a beacon to all future 
ages? And yet the same soul-deceptions prevai 
now, that prevailed in the days of Rochester! Mors 
than one hundred and fifty years ago! How slow 
is man to learn! Still striking" against the same 
rocks — still whirling- iti the same quick-sands of 
folly, and vice, and error. 

But let us pause and reflect, and let us ask our- 
selves, where are the gay wits and high-toned sons 
of pleasure; of the sixteenth century; of the seven- 
teenth century; and many, very many, of the eigh- 
teenth century? V/here are they? 'Gone with the 
years beyond the flood!' They glittered — they 
pleased — they dazzled for a moment! And where 
are they now? And where shall we be, in a short, 
a very short time? Are we prepared? 

But let us again look at the causes of error and 
vice! For we certainly cannot deal too plainly 
and pointedly with ourselves. Truth — the truth of 
God, the holy religion of the bible, has nothing to 
fear from the most open and candid and thorough 
investigation! It can always maintain a firm and 
unyielding front! Nay, more it can always advance 
and meet error and vice in all their forms, meet 
them with the left hand torch of reason, and the 
sun of Revelation! — and whe^e are they? 

l5 



244 

'Let coward* guilt with palid fear, 

To shelt'ring caverns fiy, 
And justly dread the vengeful fate 

That thunders through the sky* 
Protected by that hand, whose law 

The threatening storms obey, 
Intrepid virtue smiles secure, 

And in the blaze of day.' 
* It is related of Volney, that well-known arch- 
infidel, that he \va.s very much alarmed in a storm 
at sea! and upon being interrogated with regard 
to the cause of his alarm; frankly replied — "Ah! 
Yolney in a storm, is not like Volney in a calm!" 
And it is recorded of Thomas Pain, that in the 
year 1802, he sailed from Europe to this country; 
and that when the vessel had neared the port of 
Baltimore; a storm arose, and the Captain, as it is 
common in such cases, put back to sea; and that 
Pain manifested great firmness till the storm had 
increased to such violence, that the Captain des- 
paired of being able to bring the vessel into port; 
and upon ordering the long boat to be lowered, 
one of the last resorts, in a season of great danger 
at sea, Pain went below, to bring up some of the 
most valuable of his effects; but when he had 
reached the deck, a high wave swept over the 
vessel! and then Pain imagining that all was lost, 
exclaimed, 'Lord have mercy upon us! Christ have 
mercy upon us." The Captain was surprised hav- 
ing heard him deny his belief in the Christian re- 
ligion and in any hope of mercy through a Saviour. 
We have not space for further detail: The simple 
fact is before us. But how true it is that in time of 
danger, "men's hearts fail them." It does not 
appear to be unworthy of remark, in this place 



AND GUARDIAN. 2-lS 

Let us, then, come to the light that we may be 
tried, as silver is tried, and pass through the fiery 
ordeal, like gold purified seven times, and let us 
not fear we shall not lose any thing that is worth 
keeping! Let all the '* wood, hay and stubble" be 
burned so tiiatWe can but keep the gold," silver 
i,.nd precious stooes." Why then is the mind still 
&o much opposed to the humbling, yet exalting 
truths of the Christian religion? But shall we even 
suppose, reader! that thou art still opposed to the 
Ixoly religion of the bible? Reason and revelation 
I. live been so long before thy mind! But dost 
thou not prcrastinate ? If so tremble for thyself! 
Presume not upon divine forbearance!— We would 
not allow thee to remain quiet in thy sins! — we 
would not wish the "strong man armed to keep 
the house and goods in peace." Luke 11,21. If 
we did, we should be thy enemies, and not friends! 

th;»t .infidels, notwithstanding their boasted reason 
bf which they have no reason to boast; and not- 
withstanding they so frequently profess to dis- 
believe revelation from the want, as they assert, of 
sufficient evidence; yet when any old objection, or 
any stale assertion, or any false report, against a 
professor of religion, is brought forward, no mat- 
ter from what quarter — it is seized with an air of 
t riumph and followed by the complacent smile of 
approbation — if not with a sort of applause! This 
has been witnessed; times without number by 

many travellers, during many thousand miles travel 

by land and by water. 

l6 



M6 CHRISTIANAS GUIDE 

For a woe is pronounced upon them "That are 
at ease in Zion;' Amos, 6. 1. and that cry, 'peace, 
when there is no peace.' Jer. 6,14. 'Behold, all 
ye that kindle afire; that compass yourselves about 
with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in 
the sparks that ye have kindled. Thus shall ye 
have of my hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow/ Is. 
3. 11. We repeat the question — why is the mind 
still so much opposed to the humbling, yet exalt- 
ing truth of the Christian religion? — Has it found 
out any other remedy? What did the wisest heath- 
en say upon this subject; Socrates, Plato, Aristotle 
and others? — Were they not involved in a grew 
doubt? and what was the condition of the world at 
the Saviour's advent? Look at <Mars's hill,' Look 
at the inscription to the 'unknown God,' whom 
they ignorantly 'worshipped ! Acts xvii, 22, 23. 
And what induced one of their philosophers to ex- 
claim, 'Oh that some superior being would de- 
scend and make known to us the will of God?' 
* * * But we have the "will of God! n 

"Through the tender mercy of our God; where- 
by the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to 
give light to them that sit in darkness and in the 
shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of 
peyce." Luke, i, 7S. 

What more do we require? Have we not light 



AND GUARDIAN. Ml 

enough, truth enough, reason enough, revelation 
enough, at every step, at every turn ? --. Who can 
deny it in the face of light and truth, and reason 
and revelation ? The question therefore again and 
again recurs; what more do we require? Let us 
reply frankly, openly and honestly 'we want a dis- 
position — a will/ We will not come to the light! 
Why? Simply, because we will not! This, then, 
this is the reason why! will you say so? Have we 
not proved again and again, that reason is on our 
side? And you will by all means, allow our claim 
to the light of revelation! Turn, then, reader, to 
the motto and see if we are not sustained. And 
we again turn to thee; but for what purpose? T 
argue with thee for thy good; to prove to thee 
that we are serious in a good cause; to induce 
thee to incline thine ear to the truth: for we can 
assure thee that right reason will then be thine : — 
Both right reason and revelation/ But if not, what 
will follow? — What is the language of inspiration ? 
"The heaven shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth 
shall rise up against him, Job xx, 27. 'O earth, 
earth, earth, hear the words of the Lord.' Jer. xxii, 
22. 'God so loved the world that he gave his on- 
ly begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him 
should not perish, but have everlasting life. 5 John 
iii 16. And therefore, the stone shall cry out of 
t he wall and the beam out of the timber shajl an* 
l7 



248 CHRISTIANAS GUIDE 

swer it.' irlab. ii, 11. And what is the purport 
of the answer ? 'He that believeth not is condemn* r 
ed already." John iii, 18. For 'this is his com- 
mandment—That we should believe on the name of 
his son Jesus Christ.' 1 John, iii ? 23. And we 
are assured that "he that believeth not shall be 
damned.' Mark xvi, 16, 'These sayings' and dec- ; 
larations, 'are faithful and true.' Eev. xxii, 6. 
'True and righteous are his judgments. 5 ' Rev. 
xix, 2. 

'•Strait is the way my saints have trod? 
I blessed the path and drew it plain? 
But you would chose the crooked road: 
And down it leads to endless pain." 
"And these shall go away into everlasting pun- 
ishment; but the righteous into life eternal.' Mat, 
xxv, 46. 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 
5 THE TRUTH IS MIGHTY AND MUST PRE- 
VAIL. 
Two very important and general ideas suggested 
to the mind by a correct view of this article^ appears 
to deserve and require the utmost attention of ev- 
ery reader! 1. The high-towering pride of a false 
philosophy ! For a soul-humiliating and pride-de- 
basing revelation from Deity does not meet its self- 
created and self delusive expectations/ founded upon 
— what?— An ideal fabric /—The congregate of all 



AND 'GUARDIAN. M9 

that inflates the mind and misguides the heart! 
-and that leads both in chains, and makes both wor- 
ship not the Ganges, nor Juggernaut! but the 
many-headed monster, Idolatry! in all its ideal forms! 
This is the true condition of every individual who 
is not wholly devoted to the divine service— ac- 
cording to the light of his dispensation! But if a 
revelation should be imparted which would foster 
human pride, and cherish unphilosophic ambition, 
and connive at irrational gratification and swell 
the current of unchristian applause, and throw the 
reins loosely over the neck of unbridled self-esteem 
and self-elevation, and self-dictation, and the lib- 
ertine indulgence of the appetites and passions:-- 
if such a revelation should be imparted, who a- 
mong all those who reject the true revelation, 
a revelation adapted to our real condition, who a- 
mong them all would become its votaries? 2nd. 
A false notion of the Supreme Being, and a narrow 
and contracted perception of his attributes and 
an erroneous estimate of the due relation of all cre- 
ated intelligences , constitute the ground-work of 
the most absurd and preposterous objections to 
the holy religion of the bible/ What then in the 
light of reason and revelation is any created intel- 
ligence? and what are all created intelligences? 
And what of the material universe, with all its di- 
versified inhabitants? And what will the whole be. 
l8 



250 christian's guide 

And whatever may be added to the whole, when 
as many more ages shall have elapsed as there are 
particles in creation? * * * We re- 

ply, with reverence we reply, that all that Deity 
can create in eternity! and that all that Deity 
can give a place to in immensity! will be infinitely 
less to the eternal I AM than a particle of creation 
is to the most exalted intelligence in the universe. 
Should any created being then be proud? — could 
that created being, any created being, himself cre- 
ate, a fly, an insect, a particle of matter? Does it not 
follow that every created being should be humble, 
should be teachable and should be conformed to 
true philosophy? In a word, should be conformed 
to the dictates of right reason, and firmly believe 
every rationally demonstrated revelation from Dei- 
ty? And should not e\evy rational being adore 
and praise the Author and Giver of all good, and 
live in conformity to his will and word? 

'Wherefore, let every creature give 
To thee the praise designed; 

But chiefly, Lord, the thanks receive, 
The hearts' of all mankind. * 



CHAPTER VI 



DISTINGUISHED WITNESSES TO THE 
TRUTH, AND EXCELLENCY, AND POW- 
ER OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 

c You 9ay, the world, well known, will make a 

man. 
The world, well known, will give our hearts to 

heaven, 
Or make us demons, long before we die.' — Dr* 
Young, 
And therefore, 

'What conscience dictates to be done, 

Or wants me not to do; 
This teach me more than hell to shun; 
That more than heaven pursue.' — Pope, 
And not say, 

'I know the right, and I approve it too; 

I know the wrong, and yet the wrong pursue.' 

For that left the heathen, who said so to himself, 
in answer to his own conscience,* 'without ex- 

* See appendix A, and the moral standard, Chap- 
ter v, prefatory note. 

:l9 



252 christian's guide 

cuse.' And have not all who 'yet the wrong 1 pur- 
sue,' said to themselves, in answer to their own 
conscience? * * * And what follows? 
See Rom. ii, 15, and i, 20. 2 Cor. i, 12. 1 Tim. i, 
19. But may not conscience become unfaithful, 
or cease to reprove, in consequence of having been 
long stifled or resisted, or stupined by the opiates 
of sin, and at length conformed to an unreasonable 
and unscriptural standard? See Titus i, 15. 1 Tim. 
i, 2. Heb.x, 22 and ix, 14. 

What, then, is the best proof of kindness to all 
who are thus unhappily self-deceived, and are con- 
tinually rivetting fetters upon themselves? 

Deal faithfully with a friend, 
Snatch him from a fearful end. 

Jude i, 23. James v, 20. 'Is not this a brand plack- 
ed out of the fire?' Ze. iii, 2. And is there any 
thing that deserves to he placed in competition? 

'Honor, pleasure, or what else, 
This short enduring world can give?' 

But is there, indeed, any true honor — any real 
pleasure — any substantial good, in any other course 
than that which is alike rational and scriptural, 
either with regard to Christian frightfulness, on the 
one hand; or self-delusion, on the other hand* 
strengthened and confirmed by 'all the deceivable" 



AND GUARDIAN. 253 

ness of unrighteousness,' and by wh&tever Is impli 
ed in 'the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and 
the pride of life,' however interpreted or under- 
stood? * * * See 1 Peter iv, 4, and 
iii, 15. 2 Thess. iJ, 10. 1 John ii. 14. Eph. v, 11. 
But it would not be necessary to bring forward, 
what must always appear to be, what it really is, a 
truism. 1 to every truly enlightened, rational, con- 
scientious and exemplary Christian, if it were not 
for the lamentable fact, 'that when iniquity abounds 
the love of God waxes cold.' Mat. xxiv, 12. Hence 
the solemn injunction, 'repent, and do thy first 
works.' Rev. ii, 5. 

And how many, like Demas, have forsaken the 
zealous and exemplary band of Christians, for the 
sake of the anti-rational and delusive allurements 
of the world! 2 Tim. iv, 10. And how many have 
declined imperceptibly, till they have been 'luke 
warm,' and yet imagined, and even said, 'I am rich 
and increased with goods, and have need of noth- 
ing;' and yet the 'searcher of hearts and trier of 
reins,' declared, 'that they were wretched, and 
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.' Rev. 
iii, 15, 18. 'Wherefore, let him that tliinketh he 
standeth, take heed lest he falh' 1 Cor. x, 12. 'And 
besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, 
virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge 
temperance; and to temperance patience; and, to 



254 christian's guide 

patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kind- 
ness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For T if 
these things be in you, and abound, they make you 
that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the 
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ .' 'Wherefore 
the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your 
calling and election sure: for if ye do these things 
ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be min- 
istered unto you abundantly into the everlasting 
kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' 2 
Peter i, 5, 10. And therefore, we 'stir up your 
pure minds byway of remembrance. 5 2 Peter iii, 1. 
'Furthermore, then, we beseech you, brethren, 
and exhort you, by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have 
received of us how ye ought to walk and to please 
God, so ye would abound more.' 1 Thess. iv, 1. 
And so shall 'grace and peace be multiplied unto 
you, through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus 
our Lord, according as his divine power hath given 
unto us all things that pertain unto life and godli- 
ness, through the knowledge of him that hath call- 
ed us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given to 
us exceeding great and precious promises, that by 
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, 
having escaped the corruption that is in the world 
through lust.' 2 Peter i, 2, 4. And so shall ye be 
'burning and shining lights,' in your day and gen- 
eration — 'blend the wisdom of the serpent with the 



AND GUARDIAN. 255 

formlessness of the dove,* and 'adorn the doctrine 
of God our Saviour in all things.' iohn v, 55. i*at. 
x, 16. Titus ii. 10. 

And if we thus pay a due attention to all our ra- 
tional and scriptural interests, we shall not be con- 
formed to this world; Rom. xii, 1 ;.nor shall it be 
said to us, 'be watchful, and strengthen the things 
whick remain, that are ready to die;' Rev. ii I- 2; nor 
that, 'the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness 
of riches, and the desire of other things, have 
choked the good word, and that it has become un- 
fruitful.' Mark iv, 19. But that we 'walk worthy 
of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in 
every good work, and increasing in the knowledge 
of God.' Col. i, 10. And so evincing to the world, 
that our 'affections are set on things above, not on 
things on the earth;' Col. iii, 2j that we 'so use the 
world as not to abuse it;' 1 Cor. vii, 31; and that 
we are rational, conscientious and scriptural in all 

things. 

And now we are prepared to view the bright ex- 
amples before us in tfce page of history, and not a 
flw living portraits. We would first notice that dis- 
tinguished ornament of his country, Chief Justice 
Hale ! Let us view him in all his private and so- 
cial and public offices and relations. A man fear- 
ing God and working righteousness, endeavoring 
to 'maintain a conscience void of offence towards 



256 christian's guide 

God and towards man.' Plain, simple, upright, 
'diligent in business, yet fervent in spirit, serving 
the Lord:' as a public magistrate, not bearing the 
sword in vain,' wielding it for the 'punishment of 
evil-doers, and for the praise of them that did well: 5 
as a citizen, humble, meek, lowly: as a patriot, firm, 
unbending, disinterested: as a citizen of the world, 
rigidly just, impartial, philanthropic! What happy 
•traits of character! But it was religion that formed 
his heart, his mind, his morals! He was a Christian! 
But let us view him more particularly: 'he, being 
dead, yet speaketh.' He was careful to maintain a 
habit of private devotion: he commenced the day 
with God; and endeavored to bear about with him 
a sense of the presence of his Maker: 'Thou, God, 
seest me.' He lived 'in the fear of the Lord all 
the day long,' which is the beginning of true wis- 
dom: and he closed the day with God. And he 
had learned, from painful experience, the import- 
ance of 'keeping holy the Sabbath day J* Before he- 
did keep it holy, he did not succeed in his worldly 
business through the week; but after he kept it 
holy, he prospered in his weekly concerns! So 
true it is, that 'the blessing of the Lord maketh 
rich;* and he addeth no sorrow with it.' 

* To exp@ct the blessing of the Lord, in the 
truly scriptural sense of the expression, while living 
in the commission of any known sin, or the neglect 



AND GUARDIAN. 257 

Let us now look at Col. James Garden eh. He 
bad run 'the giddy round;' and his gay and mis- 
named pleasure-loving companions had jenvied his 
imagined happiness; but he afterwards acknowl- 
edged, that when they congratulated him on his 
felicity, a dog happening at that time to come into 
the room, he could not forbear groaning inwardly, 
and saying to himself, <Oh that I were that dog!' 
But now for the contrast! Let us view him asm 

of any known duty, is preposterous in the last de- 
gree: as, for instance, to pray for the extension of 
the Redeemer's kingdom, and yet make no effort 
to promote it ! ' Thy own mouth shall condemn thee." 
With regard to the Sabbath, it is to be feared, that 
many are most lamentably deficient. It surely can- 
not be proper to read public papers, nor converse 
on common business, nor engage in any secular 
concerns, beyond what is absolute!} 7 necessary! But 
what is implied in keeping holy the Lord's day? 
'Not thinking thy own thoughts, speaking thy 
own words, nor doing thy own actions,' those 
thoughts, words and actions, which are lawful and 
proper on other days. The profanation of the 
Sabbath, indeed, may be justly considered as one of 
the crying sins of the land! In this important as- 
spect, as well as in many others, there are many,,, 
very many, who neither 'fear God nor regard man.' 
Witness the profanation of that holy day of the 
Lord, even in the very streets, and in most public 
places; reading newspapers, conversing upon poli- 
tics, &c. Surely these things ought not so to be! 
'Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a re- 
proach to any people,' 



258 CHUISTIAN'S GUIDJE 

Christian! After very great and agonizing' distress 
for a considerable time, the result of a clear and 
piercing- perception of his real condition, by nature 
and by practice, after many years spent in folly, 
'all the terrors of his former state were turned into 
unutterable joy.' 'And though the first ecstacies 
of it afterwards subsided into a more calm and com- 
posed delight, yet were the impressions so deep 
and so permanent that he declared on the word of 
a christian, wonderful as it might seem, that for about 
seven years after this, he enjoyed nearly a heaven 
upon earth. His soul was almost continually filled 
with a sense of the love of God in Christ; so that 
from, the time of his waking in the morning, his heart 
was rising to God, and triumphing in him; and 
these thoughts attended him through all the day, 
till he lay down on his bed again, and a short pa- 
renthesis of sleep, (for it was but a very short one 
that he allowed himself,) invigorated his animated 
powers for renewing* those thoughts with greater 
intenseness and sensibility. A life, any thing like 
this, could not be entered upon, in the midst of 
such company as he was obliged to keep, without 
great opposition. He, however, early began a 
practice,* which to the last day of his life he retain- 

* A most happy practice. Professed Christian* 
'Go thou and do likewise. ' Beware of the 'fear 
of man,' which 'bringeth a snare;' and know — be 



AND GUARDIAN, 253 

e% of reproving' vice and profaneness; and was 
titt&p afraid to debate the matter with any, under 
the consciousness of such superiority in the good- 
ness of his cause.' A remarkable instance of this 
happened about the middle of the year 1720, on 
his first return to make any considerable abode in 
England, after his remarkable change. He had 
heard on the other side of the water, that it was 
currently reported among his companions at home, 
that he was stark mad: a report, at which no reader 
who knows the wisdom of the world in these mat- 
ters, will be much surprised. And hence conclud- 
ed, that he should have many battles to fight, and 
was willing to despatch the business as fast as he 
could. And therefore, being to spend a few day9 
at the country house of a person of distinguished 
rank, and. with whom he had been very intimate, 
he begged the favor of him, that he would continue 
matters so, that a day or two after he came down, 
several of his gay companions might meet at his 
lordship's table; tiuit he might have an opportunity 
of making his apology to them, and acquainting 
them with the nature and reasons of his change. It 
was accordingly agreed to; and a large company 

assured, that 'he that putteth his trust in the Lord 
shall be safe.* Ha>t thou not every reason to be 
hold in a good cause, provided thy s 2eai be accord- 
ing to knowledge?' 



260 christian's guide 

met on the day appointed, with previous notice 
that Col. Gardener would be there. A good deal 
of raillery passed at dinner, to which the Colonel 
made very little answer. But when the cloth was 
taken away, and the servants had retired, he begged 
their patience for a few minutes, and then plainly 
and seriously told them what notions he had of vir- 
tue and religion, and on what considerations he had 
absolutely determined, that by the grace of God, 
he would make these things the care and business 
of his life, whatever he might lose by it, and what- 
ever censure and contempt he might incur. He 
then challenged them to propose any thing they 
could urge, to prove that a life of irreligion was 
preferable to the fear, love and worship of the 
eternal God, and a conduct agreeable to the pre- 
cepts of his gospel. And he failed not to bear his 
testimony from his own experience, (to one part 
of which many of them had been witnesses,) that 
after having run the round of sensual pleasure, 
with all the advantages the best constitution and 
spirits could give him, he had never tasted any 
thing deserving to be called happiness; till he made 
religion his refuge and delight. He testified, 
calmly and boldly, the habitual serenity and peace 
that he now felt in his own breast, and the compo- 
sure and pleasure with which he looked forward to 
objects which the gayest sinner must acknowledge 



AND GUARDIAN. 261 

to be equally unavoidable and dreadful! Upon 
thk, the master of the table, a person of a very 
frank and candid disposition, cut short the debate, 
b\ saying, 'come, let us call another course: we 
thought this man mad, and he is in good earnest 
proving- that we are so.' And the Colonel after- 
wards declared, that instead of losing* one valuable 
friend by this change in his character, he found 
himself much more esteemed and regarded by 
many who could not persuade themselves to imitate 
his example. 

Let us next turn to the celebrated Locke. After 
all his deep, and laborious, and very successful 
researches, the holy scriptures were his chief de 
light. He read and studied them principally duiv 
ing the last fourteen years of his life: and these 
memorable words were written by him on one of 
the blank leaves of his bible: 'This book has God 
for its Author, salvation for its end, and truth, 
without any mixture of error, for its contents. ' 

Let us now turn to that profound and universal 
scholar, and justly renouned author and critic, Dr. 
Johnson. He was, for some time sceptical; but 
after investigating the evidences of our holy reli- 
gion, with a mind open to the light of evidence 
and conviction, he became a firm believer of divine 
revelation; but it was not till near his death that he 
obtained peace of mind. His views of the gospel 



262 

plan of salvation, previous to that time, had been 
very obscure! He had, like many others in his 
day, misapprehended the doctrine of salvation by 
grace, and confounded it with works, as a means 
of recommendation to the divine favor. And it was 
not till he was greatly distressed, under a fearful 
apprehension of his real condition, as a sinner just- 
ly condemned by the divine law, and till he was 
led to pray for mercy ? as a condemned criminal 
would implore a reprieve, that he obtained 'peace 
and joy in believing. 5 All the arguments of his 
philosophic companions, grounded upon his moral- 
ity, and the important services he had rendered to 
his country, were ineffectual. None hut the great 
Physician could heal his spiritual wounds, and ex- 
tract the sting of death from his troubled conscience . 
He could say to the worldly-wise men that attended 
him, 'miserable comforters are ye all.' 

We now turn to Sir William Jox.us, another 
pre-eminently distinguished scholar, deeply read 
and versed in European and Asiatic literature and 
science: and a paster of as many or more languages 
than any other man; and to whom the acquisition 
of a language or a science was a mere recreation — 
food required by his ardent and powerful mind! 
Hear his testimoney, also written in one of the blank 
leaves of his bible. 'I have carefully read and 
studied the holy scriptures, and I am of opinion ., 



AND GUARDIAN. 263 

that independently of their divine origin, they con- 
tain more valuable history, and purer morality, &c. 
than any other book, nay, than all other books to- 
gether.' This is the substance of his note: the 
wor^k is not at hand. Here, then, we have the tesr 
timoney and experience of the most powerful and 
discriminating minds, noted for their logical acu- 
men — their patient and laborious application and 
research, and their very extensive and richly varifi- 
ed acquisitions; and of men who, from the very na- 
ture of their habits and pursuits, were not likely to 
be superficial in their investigation of the most im- 
portant of all subjects, and of men who, we are 
warranted in asserting, were as far superior to nine- 
teen-twentieths of modern infidels, as giants are to 
the most diminutive dwarfs, and the very small pro- 
portioned remainder are not to be compared with 
them! 

We might also turn to a Boyle, a Milton, a New- 
ton and many others. Before we conclude this 
chapter, let us again look at the Christian's death- 
bed! Addison could say, 'come and see how a 
Christian can die!' Was an infidel ever known to 
say, come and see how an infidel can die? We 
eave the question unanswered! * A death -bed is 
a detecter of the human heart.' 'Men may live 
fools' — may trifle with serious things; and point 
the finger of scorn at the Christian, though they 



£64 

inwardly respect him; and 'spirt themselves w!th 
their own deceivings,' and give full scope to their 
corrupt propensities, and 'mouth the very heavens.' 
Ps. xii, 4; and wear the most brazon front, and 
plume themselves with an air of high-toned self- 
gratulation, and exclaim, 'we are free from vulgar 
prejudices' — 'the prejudices of the age, and nurse- 
ry tales,' &c. to infinitum. But let us mark well 
what follows, both for our own instruction, and that 
we may give timely warning to others: 'fools they 
cannot die.' The self-delusion vanishes— they are 
most woefully undeceived! Conscience awakens, 
reason resumes its province, the broken law utters 
its thunders, and the despised gospel proves to them 
Hhe savor of death unto death.' 2 Cor. ii, 15. * 
* * But 

The chamber where the good man meets Ills fate 
Is privileg'd beyond the common walk 
Of virtuous life — quite in the verge of heaven! 
Fly, ye profane* if not, draw near with awe, 
Receive the blessing, and adore the chance, 
That threw in this Bethesda your disease: 
If unrestored by this — despair your cure ! 
For here resistless demonstration dwells!* 



CHAPTER VII. 



Til ^PARENTAL CHARACTER OF THE DI, 

VISE GOVERNMENT; THE HARMONY OF 
THE DIVINE DISPENSATIONS; THE xV 
DAPTATION OF DIVINE MEANS TO DI* 
ViNE ENDS; AND EQUITY AND JUSTICE 
OF ALL THE DIVINE RE TRIBUTIONS. 
Still 

4 'To the height of this great argument ascend, 
Vindicate Eternal Providence, and justify 
The ways of God toman."-- MijLtoar* 

Thou great Supreme! 
f*$hy call I follow to the land unknown: 
I trustin Thee, and know in whom I trust; 
Or life, or death is equal: neither weighs: 
All weight in this— let me live to thee!" 

YOUSTG. 

'I know that my Redeemer liveth.' Job xix: 
25. 4 know in whom I have believed, and I am 
persuaded that he is able to keep that which I 
have committed unto him against that day.' 2 Tim. 
\ 12. 'God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but 
of love and of a sound mind.' 2 Tim. i, 7. And 
therefore the parental character of the divine gov- 
ernment claims our attention. For he is the God, 
and Father of all his intelligent creation! What 



266 christian's guide 

then in the two-fold light of reason* and revelation 
shall we expect from him ? All that we can reason- 

* Whatever is connected with the due exercise 
of right reason, is both pleasing and instructive hi 
due proportion to our capacity for close investiga- 
tion, and the interest we take in the subject brought 
forward, or presented to our consideration! And 
it is well known to all who have made the experi- 
ment, that the capacity for investigation, and the 
improvement and gratification derived from the ac- 
tive and persevering efforts of the mind in its in- 
quiries after truth, increase, most wonderfully, in- 
crease as it progresses with the subject! And what 
subject is more interesting, more instructive, more 
important than the study of the holy scriptures? 
There is no other subject, no other study to be 
brought into comparison! What, then, shall we 
say to our young friends— to the rising generation? 
Beloved youth! the hope of our beloved country! 
— will you not avail yourselves of all the unspeaka- 
bly great and precious privileges with which you 
are favored? And will you not more especially a- 
vail yourselves of the holy scriptures, which con- 
tain 'the words of eternal life' — which make wise 
unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus,' and 
which in fine, comprise the most important histoids 
the most interesting biography — the most insti uc T 
tive poetry — the most vivid and heart -unfolding 
similitudes and parables the most accurate and 
faithful representations of virtue and viee, in ?11 
their forms, and most delightful and most appalling 
contrasts, the most elevated doctrines, worthy of 
the infinite perfections of Deity—and the most 
sublime morality, the transcript of the eternal and 
immutable purity, and holiness and benevolence of 
their divine Author? Surely you cannot be insens- 



AND GUARDIAN. 267 

ably and scripturally desire, hope for and aspire af- 
ter in time and for eternity! For all and infinitely. 
above all— thatjjj we can either imagine or conceive, 
thus lies before us! and even in this world. Ten 
thousand 'sacred sweets, invite the 'longing' mind, 
its ardent and restless and unceasing breathing af- 
ter happiness! But what shall we say of the 
world to come? 'There/ the Christian may ex- 
claim — 

'There is a land of pure delight 

Where saints immortal reign: 

Infinite day excludes the night, 

And pleasures banish pain . 
There everlasting spring abides, 
And never withering flowers. 
Death, likea narrow sea divides 
This heavenly land from ours.* 
And 

There I shall bathe my weary soul, 
In seas of heavenly rest! 

ible to your infinitely greatest and best interests for 
time and eternity!— For they most assuredly claim 
your utmost attention — your best efforts— your most 
ardent zeal according to knowledge, and the most 
ardent aspirings of every rational and immortal 
mind! Be persuaded, then, we both entreat and 
beseech you, by every relation you sustain to socie- 
ty—to the world— that it is not a vain thing for you! 
It is for your life!' 



268 CHRISTIAN -S GtflSjB 

And not a wave of trouble roll 
Across my peaceful breast!' 
"^Vhothen would not become a Christian? Is there 
not every inducement from right reason, conscience 
and scripture? And yet facts proclaim what shall 
we say? The general opposition of the human 
mind to the voice of conscience to the voice of 
reason, to the voice of God! proclaims the most aw- 
ful depravity, the most wilful perversity, the 
most shocking ingratitude, the most flagrant re- 
bellion! Proclaim, in a word, to the astonishment 
and wonder of myriads of holy and happy beings, 
that the mind of every man who does not yield to 
the -light of divine truth, to all its force of evi- 
dence and conviction, that the mind of e\eiy 
such man, is, beyond the possibility of a truly ra- 
tional and scriptural doubt *enmit} r against God:* 
what a strange pervertion of the rational and im- 
mortal mind! Nay, more, far more (is it not) even 
madness itself! 'madness in their heart while the j 
live. 5 Ecc. ix 3. Is it not then a life of woise 
than Egyptian darkness ? And is it not true,- thi t 
'this, their way, is their folly! Fs. iv. 9, 13. And 
fiat though it is "a way which seemeth right, 5 yet 
the end of it is death? Prov. xiv. 12. And there- 
fore in declaring the truth — we commend ourselves 
to every man's conscience in the sight of God; ' we 
'give a reason -for the hepe which is in us;' and we 



AND GUARDIAN.- 269 

profess our conscientious and rational belief m the 
"sure word of testimony" 11 the revelation of God 
to man ! And in and through all this process, our 
head and our heart are alike concerned, and all our 
rational and scriptural interests receive our due at- 
tention. 2 Cor. iv, 2. 1 Peter iii, 15. Rom. xii, 1. 
2. Cor. iv, 13. We now proceed to consider the 
Parental character of the divine government, Sec. 
and while replying to the objections of unbeliev- 
ers—we shall endeavor to avoid diverging from 
the great truths which are proclaimed to us in the 
glorious gospel! For the truth is all powerful, 
and there/ere all-sufficient. Mai. ii, 6. John viii, 
32, and 17 and 17. 

And therefore we again inquire: what should 
we expect from the universal Parent? Vs. cxlvii, 17. 
Is he not alike powerful, just and good, of 'purer 
eyes than to behold iniquity with any allowance." 
and yet a God full of compassion and gracious ? 
Hab, i, 13. Ex. xxxiv, 6, 7. Is he not? * * 
'The ways of the Lord are right, and the just 
shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall 
therein." Hos. xiv, 9. And therefore let us 
hear the voice and proclamation of Jehovah him- 
self: 'Hear O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for 
the Lord hath spoken: — I have nourished and 
brought up children, and they have rebelled a- 
gainst me.' Is. i, 2. And he appeals to them: 'why 



270 christian's guide 

should ye be stricken any more? The whole head 
is sick; and the whole heart faint." Is. i, 5. And 
what does he require of them? 'Put away the evil 
of your doing's from before mine eyes; cease to do 
evil learn to do well," Is. i, 16. And what does 
he declare concerning' them? 'The show of their 
countenance doth witness against them, and they 
declare their sin as Sodom, they hide* it not: wo 
unto their soul! For they have rewarded evil un- 
to themselves.' Is. hi, 9. And what follows? 
'say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with 
them for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 
"Wo unto the wicked! it shall be ill with them; 
for the reward of their hands shall be given them.' 
Is. hi, 10. And yet they would cast the blame of 
their self-destruction upon their maker, after hav- 
ing done so much for them. 'Thus ye speak, say- 
ing 1 , if our transgressions and our sins be upon us, 
and we pine away in them, how should we then 
live?' Ex. xxxiii, 10. And again: 'We are direct- 

* Is it not the case with many in our da} 7 ? What 
awful profanation of the Sabbath! What horrid 
language!* — taking the name of God in vain, and 
calling for judgments upon themselves and others! 
They hide it not.' But one exhorts them to re- 
ceive warning in time to "hear and fear, and do 
no more presumptuously." 

* See Je;\xxiii, 10. Ps. 1, 21, and lxxvii, 7. 



AND GUARDIAN. £71 

ered* to do all these abominations/ Jer. vii* 10. 
What horrible impiety! What glaring' ingratitude! 
What! hastjthou not procured this unto thyself?* 
Jer.^ ii. 17. Wherefore will ye plead with me? 
ye all have transgressed against me, saith the Lord.' 
Jer. ii, 29. "Wilt thou also [disannul my judg_ 
ments ? Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest 
be righteous! "He that reproveth God let him an- 
swer it" Job xi, 2. " Wo unto him that striveth 
with his maker Is. xlv, 9. And yet thou dost re- 
fuse to acknowledge thy transgressions and thy 
sins, and to come unto the Lord with full purpose 
of heart. Wilt thou say *I cannot help it! — 'There 
is no hope," Jer. ii, 25. "Out of thy own mouth 
will I judge thee, thou wicked servant; Luke, xix, 
22, Bel •old 'alio is in thy right hand,' Is. xliv, 20. 
Therefore turn unto the Lord thy God before thy 
day of grace is terminated, before thou art compel- 
led to take up the bitter lamentation. *The har- 
vest is past, the summer is ended and we are not 
saved.' Jer. viii, 20. He is still delaying to inflict 

Mt is not uncommon for infidels to charge their 
maker foolishly! "Why* say they, •did he give us 
appetites and passions and propensities — if not to 
gratify them?' What a striking analogy there is 
between ancient and modern infidels, with this dif- 
ference that the latter sin against much greater 
light and knowledge! 

Ml 



272 christian's guide 

judgment upon thee! he is still, after all that thcwi' 
hast done — waiting to be gracious unto thee! to 
receive thee and put thee among the children/ 
and be thy Father by adoption and grace, as he is 
now thy Father by creation and providence! Jer. 
iii, 19. Hear what he says to thee. 'A son hon- 
oureth his father, and a servant his master; if then 
I be a father, where is mine honor? and if I be a 
master, where is my fear?' Mai. ii, 6. And 'have we 
not all one father? hath not one God created us,. 
Mai. ii. 10. Why then should any one turn to a 
course which he has devised for himself, and go 
on in that course— like the unthinking horse to 
the battle and rush against the thick bosses of Jeho- 
vah's buckler? Why shall any one, by persisting 
in rebellion, rend the tender relation of the heav- 
enly Parent from his very heart and provoke him 
to depart from him forever? 'Wo UDto them! 
when I depart from them, saith the Lord.'\Hos. ix. 
12. Sinner thou art without any excuse. 'Lie down 
in thy shame, and let thy confusion cover thee.' 
Jer. iii, 25-, and v, and 21. Ez. xviii, 23. Rom. 
* 13. . 



ANB GUARDIAN. 273 

SECTION 2ND. 

TilE HARMONY OF ALL THE DIVINE DIS- 
PENSATIONS. 

•Doth" God pervert judgment? or doth the Almigh- 
ty pervert justice?" Job yiii, 3. Shall not the 
judge of all the earth do right?' Gen. xviii, 25. 
44 Should God forbid the sun to rise, 

And endless darkness reign. 
Justice would silence every mouth, 
Nor let a thought complain.' 
Let us now consider the harmony of the divine 
dispensations. We have considered the promises 
made by God to fallen Adam, and to the patriarch 
Abraham, the father of the faithful, and we have 
been the nature and the character of the first trans- 
gression, and its baneful cunsequences, that 'sin 
brought death into the world and all our wo,' and 
that Jesus Christ, the eternal son of the Father; 
came into our guilty world to recover man from 
the ruins of the fall, and restore him to the divine 
favor. Hence we read, "The first man is of the 
earth, earthy; and the second man is the Lord from 
heaven.' And as Adam was the representative of 
his posterity under the covenant of works: so the 
Lord Jesus Christ is our representative under the 
covenant of grace, •Therefore, as by the offence 
of one, judgment came upon all men to condemna- 



274 CHRISTIAN S GUIDE 

tion; even so by the righteousness of one the fve® 
gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 
For as by one man's disobedience many were made 
sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be 
made righteous. Moreover, the law entered, that 
the offence might abound.* But where sin &- 
bounded, grace did much more abound. That as m\ 
hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign 
through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus 
Christ our Lord.' See Rom. v, 18, 21. Hence the 
promulgation of the glorious gospel — the glad 
tidings of great joy to all people. — Hence the 
Heralds of the cross proclaim "peace by Jesus 
Christ:" — Declaring to the people their divine 
Commission, and the "divine willingness to receive 
and pardon sinners. Let us here them and let us 
'take heed how we hear:' 'Faith cometh by heal- 
ing, and hearing by the word of God.' And let us 
pray that we may 'believe with the heart unto 
righteousness,' 'believe to the saving of the soul; 
and then, with the mouth, make confession unto 

*By the law is the knowledge of sin; and it is 
the letter of the law. — Of that divine law which is 
holy, just and good, applied to the mind and con- 
science by the Holy Spirit that kills. For then 
the sinner perceives, as he had not done before — 
his numerous transgressions and their flagrant char- 
acter, as the dust of a swept room appears through 
the rays of the sun. Hence the offence is said to 
abound: — It is made to appear more manifest. 



AND GUAKBIAN. 275 

sUv:^on. •All things,' says the great apostle of the 
gentiles, 'all things are of God, who hath recon- 
ciled ns to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given 
to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that 
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto him- 
self, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and 
hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 
Now, then, we are ambassadors for Christ: and as 
though God did beseech you by us, we pray you 
in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he 
hath made him to be sin (or a sin-offering) for us, 
who knew no sin (did not commit any sin) that we 
might be made ^might shew forth) the righteous- 
ness of God in him 2 Cor. v. 38, 21. And again: 
'So hath the Lord commanded us, saying 1 have set 
thee' (the Lord Jesus Christ) Ho be a light to the 
gentiles — that thou shouldst be for salvation unto 
the ends of the earth.' Hence the apostle con- 
sidered himself as a debtor both to the Greeks, and 
to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the un- 
wise.' Rom. i, 14, 'For,' says he, 'there is no differ- 
ence between the Jew and the Greek: for the 
same lord over all is rich unto all that call upon 
him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of 
the Lord shall be saved.' Rom. x. 13. And the 
apostle John says, 'And we have seen* and do 
testify, that the Father sent the son to be the Sa- 
viour of the world.' John ix, 14. And to all that 



5745 CHRISTIAN S GUIDE 

believe, whether Jeus or Greeks, he proves jfo 
be both the wisdom of God and the power of God 
to the salvation of their souls, 1 Cor. i, 24. 
Should we not, then, welcome, with rapture, with 
the most heart-glowing* gratitude 'the joyful sound?' 
'How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of 
him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth 
peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that pub- 
lisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion thy God 
reigneth!' Is. lii 2. "The Lord hath made bare 
his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and ail 
the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our 
God. Is. 52, 10. And the Gentiles shall coma 
to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy ris- 
ing. Lift up thine e\'es round about, and see: alt 
they gather themselves together, they come to 
thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daugh- 
ters shall be nursed at thy side. Then shaltthou 
see and flow together, and thy heart shall fear 
and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea 
shall be converted into thee, for the forces of the 
Gentiles, shall come unto thee.' is. Ix. 3. Who are 
these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their 
windows. Is. Ix, 8. Surely "the wilderness and 
the solitary place shall be glad for them, and tfre 
desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." 14. 
xxxv, 1. Truely these are very great and all im- 
portant declarations, and 'exceedingly great ancj 
precious promises. 



AND GTTARDXArr. S77 

But tiiis question, In substance, If not in »• 
tnany words, 13 not un frequently put to U3. "How 
can we be assured of the harmony of all the divine 
dispensations ? ' We have already brought forward 
the general promises and invitations of the gospel, 
we have already treated upon the nature and char- s 
acter of the federal representation; we have al- 
ready shewn the nature and character of the re- 
demption which is in Christ Jesus. And what fol- 
lows? All the promises and invitations, all the 
threatnings and judgments — all the goodness and 
mercy which have been so often arrayed before us, 
all are again presented to our view! This pre- 
mised and understood, we proceed to remark, that 
as the Almighty is equitable in all his dispensations, 
so 'he dividethto every man severally as he will.* 
*He is not a hard master." 'shall not the judge of 
all the earth do right?' Let us hear what he says 
to us: 'For the kingdom of heaven is as a man 
travelling into a far country, who called his own 
servants and delivered unto them his goods. And 
unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and 
to another oiv , to every man according to his a- 
bility; and straightway took his journey. Then 
he that had received the five talents went and 
.traded with the same and made them other five tal- 
ents. And likewise he that had received two, he 
also gained other two. But ^9 that Juad revived 
M4 



278 

one went and digged in the earth, and hid his 
Lord's money. After a longtime, the lord of those 
servants comelh, and reckoneth with them. And 
so he that had received five talents came and 
brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou de- 
liveredst unto me five talents: Behold I have 
gained beside them five talents more. His Lord 
said unto him, well done thou g'ood and faithful 
servant; thou hast been faithful over a few thing?, 
I will make thee ruler over many things: enter 
thou into the joy of thy Lord. He also that had re- 
ceived two talents came and said, Lord thou cleliv- 
eredst unto me two talents: behold, T have gained 
other two talents beside them. His lord said unto 
him, well done good and faithful servant; thou 
hast been faithful over a few things, I will make 
thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the 
the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received 
the one talent came, and said, Lord, t knew thee, 
that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou 
hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not 
strewed, and I was afraid, and went and hid thy 
talent in the earth: lo there thou hast that is thine. 
His lord answered and said unto him, thou wicked 
and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap 
where I "sowed not and gathered where I have 
not strewed: thou oughtest, therefore, to have put 
my mone^ to the exchangers; and then at my com- 



and ^tfAitMAJf 279 

ing, I should hare received mine own with usury. 
Take, therefore, the talent from him, and give it 
unto him which hath ten talents. 'For unto every 
one that hath" (that hath increased that which he 
hath) 'shall,' (more) 'be given, and he shall have 
abundance. But from him that hath not" (hath 
not improved that which was committed unto 
him!) 'shall be taken away, even that which 
he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant 
into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and 
gnashing of teeth.' Matt, xxv. 14 — 30. It is evi- 
dent therefore, that the unprofitable servant was 
condemned out of his own mouth: His lord did 
not gather where he had not strewn; he did not 
require one talent for no talent, — nor two talents 
for one talent: But simply one talent for one talent; 
or in other words, the lawful and required improve* 
ment of the one talent committed to him! This is 
evident from the respective cases of the other two: 
misapprehension is precluded. 

This was exemplified in the case of Cornelius: 
3 devout man, and one that feared God with all 
his house, who gave much alms to the people, and 
prayed to God always:" He followed the light of 
his dispensation. Why then was he sent to Peter 
that he might "come up higher" that he might 
"see greater things" that he might be brought into 
the light of the Christian dispensation ! The Chr^. 
m5 



260 CHRISTIAN'S GtJIDE 

tian dispensation — £s distinguished from that of the 
Jewish church before the appearing of the Messiah 
the desire of all nations* of whom it was declared 
'his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and 
from the river even unto the end of the earth. 
And as distinguished from the gentile dispensa- 
tion which was without the pale of the visible 
organized church of God; but not without the pro- 
mise of a saviour, of that grace mercy and peace, 
which is from God the Father, through our Lord 
Jesus. 'For to him gave all the prophets witness:' 
and this 'testimony of Jesus is the true spirit of 
prophesy,'' and to him they pointed; to him their 
desires were directed — to the 'lamb of God slain 
from the foundation of the world!" Hence the 
Lord Jesus requires us to 'search the scriptures,* 
for this all important reason: 'they are they which 
testify of me.' John v, 39. They testify of the 
gospel of the grace of God.' Acts xx, 24. 'Tes - 
tifiing both to the Jews and Greeks, repentance 
towards God; and faith in 'our Lord Jesus Christ* 
Acts xx. 21, And why was it that the glory of tine 
latter house at Jerusalem should be greater than 
that of the former? Haggai. ii, 3. Because it 
should be filled with the glory of the ^promised 
Messiah, and to him should the people come. 
Hence he said to his disciples, 'blessed are the 
eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell 
* See Appendix D. ^ 



AND GXJAREIAN. 281 

you Chat many prophets and kings have desired to 
see those things that ye see, and have not seen 
them, and to hear those things which ye here, and 
have not heard them.' Reader, can we not say 

'How blessed are our eyes, 
They see his heavenly light! 

Prophets and kings desired it long", 
But died without the sight*' 
This was the light which Simeon rejoiced to see ?i 
when he came by the spirit into the temple, and 
beheld the child Jesus, and took him up in his arms 
mkI blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest thou 
thy servant depart in peace according to thy word; 
for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou 
tvtot prepared before the face of all people; a light 
to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of thy peo- 
ple Israel.* And hence the evangelical exhorta- 
tion: 'Arise, shine! for thy light is come, and the 
glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." And when 
Peter was come to Cornelius, who had sent for him, 
that he might hear from him what he ought to do, 
he was constrained to say 'of a truth, I perceive 
that God is no respecter of persons: But in every 
nation., he that feareth him, and worketh righteous- 
ness is accepted of him.' Acts x, 34. And there- 
fore Philip was, sent to the Ethiopian Eunuch; and 
when he had heard him road in the book of th* 



S82 christian's guide 

prophet Isaiah, he said to him, understandest thoif 
what thou readest? And he said, how can T, ex- 
cept some man should guide me?' 'Then Philip 
opened his mouth, and began at the same scrip- 
ture, and preached unto him Jesus." Actsviii, 26, 
37. And he believed and was saved. Rence Fe T 
ter declared; that 'God, which knoweth the hearts 
bear them witness, giving them the holy ghost* e- 
ven as he did unto us; and put no difference be? 
tween us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.* 
Acts xv, 8, 9. 'Is he the God of the Jews only? 
Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentih *.n 
also/ Romans iii, 29. That the bless. no; t f 
Abraham might come on the gentiles, through Je- 
sus Christ, that we might receive the promise of 
the spirit through faith. — Gal. iii, 14. 

'Neither is there salvation in any other: for there 
is none other name under heaven, given amor.;* 
men, whereby we can be saved.' Acts iv, YZ. 
There is no other Mediator between God and man; 
no other Prophet, Priest and Kings no other Inter- 
cessor; no other light; no other /Saviour/ But he t$ 
an all-sufficient Saviour/ Here, then, is the pure 
foundation — the rock of ages — the Alpha and Omega 
— the beginning and end of all things — 'the Lamb 
of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 

f Great God! the nations of the earth, 
Are by creation thine; 



AND fcUABDlAtf. 28% 

And in thy works, by all beheld, 
Thy radient glories shine. 

But, Lord, thy greater love has sent 

Thy gospel to makind; 
Unveiling what rich stores of grace 

Are treasured in thy mind.' 

It follows, therefore, beyond the possibility of a 
doubt, that the Father of the spirits of all flesh, 
who is the 'only, wise God our Saviour,' and who is 
both a just God and a Saviour, that he will save all 
who come to him through his well-beloved Son. It 
must be evident, therefore, that Christians should 
make every effort to comply with the injunction, 
'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to 
every creature.' Mark xvi, 15. What is the lan- 
guage of their Lord and Master to them? 'Freely 
ye have received, freely give.' Mat. x, 8. And 
from you, therefore, let the 'word of the Lord' 
sound out toerrth's remotest bounds, that all may 
hear the 'gospel's joyful sound* ' that 'all flesh may 
see the salvation of our God.' Is. lii, 10. With re- 
gard to the unbeliever, we are compelled to say, 
beware that you no longer resist the greater light 
— that you no longer mis-improve your many talents 
— that you no longer become hardened under your 
very superior means and mercies! For if you do, 
rest assured, that the very heathen will rise up ii\ 
u6 



2S4 christian's guide 

judgment against you! 'For unto whomsoever 
much is given, of him shall be much required/ 
Luke xii, 48. And if* they had enjoyed, it may be 
said to you, your unspeakably great and precious- 
privileges, they 'would have repented lond ago, 
sitting in sack-cloth and ashes.' Luke x, 13. Hence 
it is evident to us, that while all are without excuse, 
the condemnation of some will be infinitely greater 
than that of others! And thus the sacred oracles 
•show unto us the way of salvation 5' Acts xvi, 17; 
and enjoin upon us to take 'the sword of the Spirit, 
which is the word of God;' Eph. vi, 17; and to 
meditate therein both day and night. Jos. i, 8. Let 
us, then, comply with the divine injunction — let 
us 'delight in the law of the Lord,' Ps. i, 2, and let 
'the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wis- 
dom,' Col. iii, 16, 'that we may be thoroughly fur- 
nished unto all good works. 2 Tim. iii, 17. And 
the Lord God will speak to us by his Spirit, 
through his word, by which he enlighteneth and 
quickeneth, and giveth spiritual life and strength, 
and by which he prepareth for every event of his 
providence: and so, indeed and in truth, proves to 
us, that he is our Guide and Guardian! Shall we 
not, then, imitate the noble Bereans? Actsxvii, 11. 
And sit with Mary at the Masters feet, and meekly 
hear his word? Luke x, 39. And 'give the more 
earnest heed to the things which \*e have heard* 



AND GUARDIAN. £85 

lest at any time we should let them sfip^ Heb.il, 
1. For 'blessed are they that hear the word of 
God and keep it,' 'and bring forth fruit with pa- 
tience,' 'some thirty, some sixty, and some an hun- 
dred fold.' Luke xi, 28. Mark iv, 20. Luke viii, 
15. And so shall ye be 'established, settled and 
strengthened,' * ai *d not moved away from the hope 
of the gospel;' 'which hope we have as an anchor 
to the soul, both sure and steadfast.' 1 Peter v, 10. 
Heb. vi, 19. Col. i, 23. Eph. iv, 14. 'Ye, there- 
fore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, 
beware lest ye also, being led away with the error 
of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. 
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory, 
both now and forever. Amen.' 2 Peter iii, If, 
18. 

But we return to the heathen. Let us look at 
their condition. How gloomy! Those compara- 
tively 'dark places of the earth are full of the hab- 
itations of cruelty.' Ps. lxxiv, 20. Truly they are 
♦far gone from righteousness,' Is. xlvi, 12, and 'the 
way of peace they have not known: there is no fear 
of God before their eyes.' Rom. iii, 17, 18. Like 
the Canaanites, and the Hitites, and the Amorites, 
and the Jebusites, they have polluted their lands 

m7 



*86 christian's guidb 

with their abominations.* Look at their idol tem- 
ples — at their disgusting ceremonies — at their sac- 
raligious abominations. In the view of them the 
mind sickens, and turns from them with abhorrence. 
But have they any reason to say there is 'no hope? 
Have they any reason to condemn their Maker? 
Both reason and revelation declare they have not/ 
For 'the heavens declare the glory of God: and the 
firmament showeth his handy work. Day unto day 
uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth 
knowledge. There is no speech nor language 
where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone 
out through all the earth, and their words to the end 
of the world.' Ps. xix. 

'The spacious firmament on high, 
f . With all the blue etherial sky, 

And spangled heavens, a shining ftame, 
Their great Original proclaim. 

Th' unwearied sun, from day to day, 
Does his Creator's power display, 

* Many plausible accounts have been given by 
some travellers, of certain portions of heathen 
countries; but even with regard to those compara- 
tively moral sections of the heathen world, recent 
facts, presented by travellers of unquestionable 
veracity, hs well as the general history of those pea» 
pie, confute them! 



AW© GUAKDIAX. 237 

And publishes to every land, 
The work of an Almighty hand. 

Soon as the ev'ning shades prevail, 
The moon takes up the wond'rous tale? 
And, irghtly, to the list'ning earth, .4 

Repeats the story of her birth; 

Whilst all the stars that round her burn, 
And all the planets in their turn, 
Confirm the tidings as they roll, 
And spread the truth from pole to pole. 

What though in solemn silence all, 
More round this dark terrestrial ball; 
What though no real voice nor sound, 
Amidst their radiant orbs be found; 

In reason's ear they all rejoice, 

And utter forth a glorious voice, 

Forever singing as they shine, 

The hand that made us is divine.' — Addison, 

We also appeal to conscience,* that monitor in 
man. For when the Gentiles, which have not the 
law, do by nature the things contained in the law, 
'these, having not the law, are a law unto them- 
selves,' and 'show the work of the law written in 
their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness* 

* See appendix A. 

M9 



28$ 

and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or ex- 
cusing one another.' 'So that they are without ex- 
cuse/ Rom. ii, 14, 15. 

'They are without excuse.' For they have not 
improved the 'one talent' committed to them, but 
buried it in the earth: 'and their foolish heart has 
become darkened.' 'Professing themselves to be 
wise, they have become fools; and changed the 
glory of the incorruptible God into an image made 
like to corruptible man, and to four-footed beasts, 
and creeping things.' And what besides? They 
have, also, 'changed the truth of God into a lie, 
and worshipped and served the creature more than 
the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.' And 
what could we expect? What was likely to follow f 
Therefore God gave them up to their 'vile affec- 
tions.' 'And as they did not like to retain God in 
their knowledge, (the height of impiety — the very 
height of heart-rebellion!) God gave them over to 
a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not 
convenient: (not agreeable to nature, and therefore 
irrational in their character and consequeuces!) — 
Read the black catalogue of vices in the first chap- 
ter of the Romans. It is evident therefore, in the 
light of reason, conscience and scripture, and to 
the preclusion of all rational, conscientious and 
Scriptural doubt — that the objections brought for- 
ward disappear before the light in which we have 



AND GUARDIAN. %8& 

viewed them as vapours disappear before the ri- 
sing sun! —Shall we not, then, follow this light — 
and so prove to all arround us, — that we are the 
children of light, and not of darkness; — that we 
lqve the truth of God, and not the lies of the wick- 
ed one; that we invariably yield to the 'light of ev- 
idence and conviction although it should be at the 
expense (a most trifling consideration, compared to 
reason and scripture, and conscience and truth!) of 
giving up many opinions and prejudices, or of ac- 
knowledging our mistakes or errors, or that we 
have often been deceived, and have perhaps de- 
ceived others? See John viii, 44. Eph. v, 11. 2 
Thess.ii, 7, 12 and hi, 2. Titus i, 15. 2 Tim. ii, 25, 
26andiii, 13. 

But what is the language of the Christian, under 
a view of his former unbelieving, sinful and rebel- 
lious course? I now acknowledge that I then abus- 
ed means and mercies, and sinned against light and 
knowledge; but T am now, through divine grace, 
humble and contrite in spirit. I have sinned, but 
I have found a Saviour! I was a rebel against God, 
but I am now restored to his favor! I was 'dead in 
trespasses and sins,' but I am now alive unto God, 
through faith in Christ Jesus! I was absorbed in 
the things of time and sense, but I now live by faith 
and not by sight, and by faith realize the things 
that are divine and eternal! This world was once 



290 christian's guide 

my home, but now* I am a pilgrim and sojourner 
here below; this earth is not now my place: my 
portion — my treasure — my eternal all is in the para- 
dise of God! 

And now we are prepared to look forward to 
the final 'consummation of all things' pertaining to 
the human family, the dread decision for believer 
and unbeliever, for Jew and Gentile, Barbarian and 
Scythian, bond and free, in which we can read, as 
*n a sun-beam, the full and final answer to every 
cavil — every objection — every groundless surmise, 
in every 'evil heart of unbelief,' which induced a 
departure from the living God, and which was deep- 
ly grounded in the 'carnal mind, which was enmity 
against God,' and shrunk back from the light which 
he imparted, and from a distinct view of his un- 
spotted holiness and purity, and sin-avenging sword 
of justice,, and which eought death in the error of 
of its own way, and would not be saved in- God's 
way, and would not hearken to either advice or re- 
proof—would not accept the invitation of the God 
of love — would not bow before the sceptre of his 
grace and mercy! 

For we are assured, that 'God will render to 
every man according to his .deeds;' 'that he hath 
appointed a day in which he will judge the world 
in righteousness,' by his well-beloved Son; 'that all 
nations shall be gathered before him; that h« will 



AND GUARDIAN. 291 

separate them one from another, as a shepherd di- 
videth his sheep from the goats; and that he will 
set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on 
the left.' Mat. xxv, 31, 46. And will not his judg- 
ment be according to truth? 'Or despisest thou 
the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and 
long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of 
God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy 
hardness and impenitent heart, "treasured up unto 
thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revela- 
tion of the righteous judgment of God.* 

We have already seen, that 'he will render to 
every man according to his deeds.* But what will 
be the award? We do not inquire, what will be 
the award to the people of any namabie country, or 
to those that are under the Gentile, or Jewish, or 
Christian dispensation? But simply, what will be 
the award — the true character of the award? We 
have the answer, and with it we close this section, 
and with it we again sustain our position: 'vindicate 
eternal providence, and justify the ways of God to 
man.' 'I saw a great white throne, and him that 
sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven 
fled away; and there was found no place for them. 
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before 
God: and the books were opened, and another book 
was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead 
were judged out of those things which were written 



292 

in the books, according to their works.' Iter, xx, 11, 
15. 

Let us now hear what St. Paul says» in view of 
the approaching judgment, and of the award which 
will be rendered 'to them, who by patient continu- 
ance in well doing*, seek for glory, honor and im- 
mortality; eternal life. But unto them that are 
contentious, and do not oljey the truth, but obey 
unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. Tribula- 
tion and anguish, upon everey soul of man that do- 
eth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile: 
but glory, honor and peace, to every man that 
worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the 
Gentile. For there is no respect of persons with 
God.' Rom. ii, 7, 11. 'And behold!' says the 
Saviour-Judge! Miehold, I come quickly; and my 
reward is with me, to give every man according as 
his work shall be.' Rev. xxii, 12. And then, 'be 
that is unjust, let him be unjust still.' Rev. xxii, 11. 
'He that testifieth these things saith, surely I come 
quickly. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.' Rev. xxii, 
20. 

'Behold the awful books display'd, 
Big with the important fates of men; 
Each deed and word now public made, 
As wrote by heaven's unerring pen.' 



AND GUARDIAW. 293 



SECTION III. 



THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHRISTIANS, 
WITH SPECIAL REGARD TO THE HEA- 
THEN WORLD. 

The responsibility of Christians, and the unutter- 
able obligations which are implied in their solemn 
covenant engagements, and their relation to their 
Lord and Master, 'who gave himself for their sins,' 
and so saved them from going down to the pit of 
destruction, and put a new song into their mouth, 
even praises to their God and Saviour. All these 
most weighty and most solemn considerations, call 
upon them as w r ith a thousand voices, and reiterat- 
edly call upon them, to 'honor the Lord with their 
substance, and the first fruits of all their increase;* 
to 'do good as they have opportunity unto all men; 9 
to 'show forth his praise;' in their lives as well as 
in their hearts; in their efforts, as well as in their 
pra) ers; in their abundant liberality, as well as in 
their good wishes; and in a word, by proving to 
themselves— to their fellow-Christians, and to the 
heathen world, that they are indeed, the blessed of 
the Lord, that they are, beyond the possibility of 
a doubt, 'glorifying their Almighty Saviour, in 
deed and yi truth, in their body, and in their spirit, 



294 christian's guide 

which are God's — which are his by creation ana re- 
demption, that they are thus glorifying" him, and 
more especially, by complying with his injunction, 
by sending forth the 'heralds of the cross, 9 to pro- 
claim in gentile lands Hhe unsearchable riches of 
Christ.'* And let them look at what has been done. 
'Saw ye not the little cloud arise?' Saw ye not 
how it spread? Saw ye not the trophies of your 
victorious Saviour? Saw ye not 'the little band,' 
who went forth with their lives in their hand — who 
'labored and did not faint' — who 'bore the burden 
and heat of fthe day' — who gave up all things — 
suffered all things — endured all things for the gos- 
pel's sake? 

And now see the labors of * * * * 
We need not particularise. They 'are 'a living 
epistle, known and read of all men.' And 'their 
praise is in all the churches.' 

And now let us look at Indfe,* Uurmah, Africa, 

* See the life of Harriett Newell, and the me- 
moirs of Mrs. Isabella Judson, the first female mis- 
sionaries that left our shores. And we would res- 
pectfully inquire of every Christian reader, and in- 
deed of every reader, however poor and obscure, 
and however circumstanced, do you not take, at 
least, one religious paper? It would be to you, if 
it is not already, 'all prices beyond.' Can you not, 
then, spare money and time for such a purpose? 
Do you read 'the common news,' 'the news of the 
day?' It is well — as members of community— a* 



AND GUARDIAN. 295 

£he Sandwich Islands and many — many other— till 
lately — 'dark places of the earth, and full of tha 
habitations of ci uelt\ , J And shall we not exclaim, 
Behold! 'what hath God wrought?' And let us 
read the Missionary Herald, and the reports of the 
different Missionary Societies, and the respective 
religious papers, that we may learn from them, the 
progress of 'truth and righteousness in the earth,' 
and that we may have a clear view of 'fields which 
are already white unto the harvest. ■ And is there 
ample scope for all? Behold! 'the field is the 
world.' And do you not hear the Macedonian cry^ 
'Come over and help us?' 

We conclude this appeal, by inserting the fol- 
ing cheering communication from India: 

1 God a hearer of prayer. 9 — Under this head the 
New York papers furnish, a letter from the Rev. 
Mr. Read, a missionary in Bombay, dated January 
19, 1833, in which, after mentioning the unusual 
blessing which had attended his labors, he observes, 
'I begin to think our Christian friends in America, 
began the year by praying for their unworthy bro- 
ther in India. Did you not particularly remember 

e:t'z~ns of the world — it is reasonably expected of 
\i% and it is clue to ourselves! But how much more 
should we be concerned for the best interests of 
Zion— for the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom 
— for l,he spiritual and eternal welfare of the humara 



296 

twat the first monthly concert in the year?* Before 
closing his letter, he received the first intelligence 
that the very day referred to, had been specially 
devoted to prayer for the extension of religion; and 
he adds in a postscript, 'I am lost in wonder at the 
goodness of God in hearing prayer.' The question 
here is abundantly answered. Allowing for the 
difference of time between*this and New York, you 
will perceive, that some hours before you asked, 
God answered; and while you were yet speaking, 
he continued more abundantly to bless us in these 
remote ends of the earth. How faithful is God to 
fulfil his promises, and what encouragement is here 
held out for men to pray every where! It was 
only from the effect which I witnessed at this remote 
station, which led me to believe and to ask if the 
friends of the Redeemer were not praying for us 
on the day above mentioned.' — Sunday School 
Journal, 

Hail! then, missionary of the cross! We j ov ful ly 
respond to thee! Our hearts are encouraged and 
our hands strengthened! Hitherto hath the Lord 
helped us! 'He hath done great things for us, 
whereof we are glad:' and he will do far greater 
things for us: no one good thing shall fail of all 
that the Lord our God hath promised to us! Oh! 
then, let us not be faithless, but believing! Be- 
Jieve and it shall be done unto thee according to 



AND GUARDIAN. 297 

tliy faith! Believe and continue to believe, and 
thou shalt still see the salvation* of the Lord thy 

God! 



SECTION IV. 

THE ADAPTATION OF DIVINE MEANS TO 
DIVINE ENDS: 

I read his awful name, emblazonM high," 5 
With golden letters on the illumined sky; 
Nor less the mystic character I see, 
Wrought in each flower, inscribed on every tree^ 
In every leaf that trembles o'er the breeze, 
I hear the voice of God among the trees. 

Barbauld. 

'Give ear, O ye heavens and I will speak; and 
hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My 
doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall dis- 
til as the dew, as the small rain upon the the tender 
herb, and as the showers upon the grass. Because 
I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye 
greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his 
work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment: a 
God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is 
he.' But 'they have corrupted themselves; their 
spot is not the spot of his children: they are a per- 
verse and crooked generation . Bo ye thus re- 

* See appendix E — Scenes in Africa. 



Z98 christian's guibb 

quite the Lord? O foolish people and unwise!' 
Deut. xxxi', 1, 6. "Oh that they were wise, that 
they understood this, that they would consider 
their latter end:' Deut. xxxii, 29. But they were 
a stiff-necked people,' and would not '• consider 
their ways.' 'And tbe Lord said unto Moses, how 
long will .this people provoke me? And how long 
will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs 
which I have shewed among them? Num. xiv, 11. 
And what is the language of unbelievers generally! 
"I cannot, I will not believe!' What then? Do 
they not say 'Surely I would speak to the Al- 
mighty, and I desire to reason with God?' Jobxiii, 
3. Behold! thy request is granted. — Nay, more, 
the Lord invites thee to reason with Mm! 'Come 
now, let us reason together, saith the Lord." 
Isaiah i, IS. Produce your cause, saith the 
Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the 
king of Jacob. Is. xli, 21, But shall he that 
contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? Job 
xl. 2 His words in the mouth of his servants are 
all-sufficient! And therefore I will demand of 
thee and answer thou me.' 'The spirit of God 
hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty 
hath "Mven me life. If thou canst answer me. Job 
xxxiii, 45. Set thy words in order before me, stand 
up. 'Hear now my reasoning: and hearken to the 
pleading of my lip?. 1 Job xiii, 6. Acts, xxiv 25, 



AND GUARDIAN. 299 

Hast thou not said the ways of the Lord are not 
equal!' Ez. xxxiii, If. But. what of thyself! 'Are 
thy ways equal?" Hast thou ^not perverted thy 
ways, and doth not thy heart fret against the 
Lord?' Prov. xix, 3* Yea, thou castest off fear and 
restrainest prayer before God, Job xv. 4. Hast 
thou then any reason for such a course? And canst 
thou endure the two edged sword of reason and 
revelation? for the Almighty hath adapted himself 
to all his intelligent creation: Divine means are in- 
variably adapted to Divine ends. 'Is God unright- 
eous? God forbid! For how then could God judge 
the world? Rom. hi 5. 6. 'For he will not lay up- 
on man more than right, [any thing unequal] that 
he should enter into judgment with God.' Job 
xxxiv, 23. Is there then any one nation more high- 
ly privileged than any other? If so, the responsi- 
bility of that nation is proportionally greater. Is 
u Gentile to be condemned with a Jew — because 
both are sinners? — Judgment will be inflicted more 
heavily upon the latter. 'Tribulation and anguish 
upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew 
first, (because the most highly privileged!) and al- 
so of the Gentile. Rom. 2 2. Forj where much is 
given, much will be required' — as we have already 
shown, Luke xii. 43. Proceed we, then, to con- 
sider, — still more particularly, — the adaptation of 
Divine means to Divine ends.-First. To every or- 



300 CHRISTIAN'S GUIDE 

<3erof creatures the Almighty has provided what- 
ever is necessary for subsistence. — 'The eyes of all 
wait upon .thee, and thou givest thern their meat 
jn due season. Thou openest thy hand, and satis? 
fiest the desire of every living thing.* Ps. cxlv. 
15. 'He giveth to the beast his food, and to the 
young ravens which cry.' 'Behold the fowls of the 
air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor 
gather into barns ; yet your heavenly Father feed- 
eththem.' Math. v. 25. And this bountiful pro- 
vision cf an all-wise and gracious providence ex- 
tends to and comprehends the animalcula which 
can only be seen through the microscope; and all 
classes of the animated creation. None are too 
great, none are too small — to be neglected on the 
one hand, or not to require, on the other hand, the 
contmual care and protection of the Universal Pa- 
rent. 'He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, 
and herb for the service of man, that he may bring 
forth food out of the earth. And, speaking after 
the manner of men, — 'He appointeth the moon for 
seasons, and the sun knoweth his going down. Thou 
makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the 
beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young 
lions (roar after their prey, . and seek their mea^ 
from God. The sun ariseth, they gather them- 
selves together, and lay them down in their dens. 



AND CUTARDIAJ?. SOI 

Man goeth forth unto his work and his labour, un- 
til the evening*. O Lord how manifold are thy 
works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: The 
earth is full of thy riches.' Ps. civ. 19. 24. And 
shall we, Father of our spirits, bountiful Bene- 
factor, adorable Preserver, and Author and Giver 
of all good, shall we, thy needy, dependant and ac- 
countable creatures, be unmindful of our depend- 
ence and accountability ;*of thy continual care and 
protection' Ungrateful for all the supplies of thy 
providence! insensible to our obligations to love 
and serve thee! and lose sight of thee, and live 
without thee, and turn from the light, and follow 
darkness, and grieve the Holy Spirit, and oppose 
and sin against thee! and in the very face p of light 
and love and goodness and mercy? We sink be- 
neath the overwhelming view of thy providential 
dealings towards us, and exclaim with thy servant 
of old "O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy 
name in all the earth ! who hath set thy glory a- 
bove the heavens.' When I consider thy heavens, 
the work of thy fingers; the moon and Jthe stars 
which thou hast ordained; what is man that thou 
art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou 
visitest him? For thou hast made him a little low- 
er than the angels, and hast crowned him with glo- 
ry and honor. Thou madest him to have domin" 
ion over the works of thy hands thou hast put al 



3G2 christian's guide 

things under his feet.' Ps. viii, 1, 6. And sh:>!l 
we not love thee supremely, and delight in thy ser- 
vice, and be conformed to thy will and word in ail 
things? 'What have we to do any more with idols?' 
Oh 'turn away our eyes from beholding vanity, and 
quicken us according to thy word' that we 'may 
run the way of thy commandments,' that we 
may serve thee with a perfect heart and a wil- 
ling mind,' and that we may prove what is thy 
c;ood, and acceptable, and perfect will in all things 
Lo! 'we now 'come unto thee; for thou art the 
Lord our God!' We now come unto thee through 
the merits and mediation of thy well beloved son, 
in whom thou art well pleased,' and to whom, 
with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, we will as- 
cribe all the glory, forever. — Amen. 

II. Let us look at the immense display of divine 
wisdom, and design, and power, and manifest adap- 
tation, in that part of the universe which we can 
in some degree behold with the naked eye, or 
through one of the most improved telescopes! 
Look at the Solar System — a mere speck in crea- 
tion! Look at stars beyond stars, suns beyond 
suns! in continual and harmonious succession? still 
look onward! What dost thou behold ? a particle of 
creation? Shall we proceed? Or does the ifnagi- 
riation itself (for the imagination is infinitr.y b**- 



AND GUABDIAN. SOS 

lveath, and forever will be infinitely beneath, the 
inimitable prospect now and forever before i !) 
Does the imagination itself sink beneath the im- 
mensity which is continually unfolding* new series, 
new worlds, new wonders? And shall we not say 
and sing*, 

•God moves in a mysterious way, 

His wonders to perform; 
He plants his footsteps in the sea/ 
And rides upon the storm?' 
And shall we not also be able to say and sing: — 
"This awful God is ours, 

Our Father and our Love; 
He shall send down his heavenly powers 
To carry us above.' 
If not * * * But we have not any 

language adequate to a reply ! But do we thus 
view divine wisdom and Almighty power? Do we 
look through creation to creation's God?* how then 

* A superficial and therefore misnamed philoso- 
phy would distinguish between nature and the 
God of— what? Of nature. Of what nature? There 
is no nature; abstract from a clear and rational per- 
ception and knowledge — (as far as a finite mind 
can see and know!) of the being and attributes and 
perfections, of the eternal Jehovah! as displayed 
in his creation and universal providence, and as re- 
vealed to his rational and accountable creartues! 
By nature, therefore, rationally considered, 
we simply mean, and neither more nor less. 



304 christians GlTiDS 

do we view ourselves, and what do we think of the 
adaptation of divine means to divine ends? 
And do we — is it our constant endeavor through 
the strength of divine grace, to answer the end 
of our creation, by the diligent and persevering use 
of the means with which we are favoured for our 
true temporal, spiritual and eternal welfare? If so, 
we are truely wise! If not, we yet stumble in 
noonday! We pursue death in the error of our 
way! We are far from God and truth &n& right- 
eousness! 

The immensely variegated revolutions and dis- 
play of infinite wisdom and Almighty power, in all 
the works of creation, and in all the providential 
dealings of the universal Parent, which necessarily 
involve, from the nature of the Eternal I AM, an 
invariable fitness; and therefore, adaptation of 
means to ends; of causes to effects; and of mate- 
rials to their application in all respects, from the 
minutest particle of matter to the highest order of 
material worlds: and from the smallest animalcuia 
to the highest order of created and rational intelli- 
gences! 

Every different or contrary idea of nature — is 
repugnant to every just conception of the eternal 
Jehovah, contrary to right reason and therefore un- 
philosophical in the last degree. It follows, theie- 
fore, that every correct idea of means and ends, 
comports with every correct idea of the infinite and 
eternaljehovah! and vice versa! and accords with 
our definition of true religion which we have dem- 
onstrated from reason, conscience and scripture 
and can therefore 'commend to ever man's con- 
science in the sight of God/ 



AND GCTARpIAN. 805 

3d. The adaptation of time and seasons to our 
condition, as moral agents and probationers for eter- 
nity/ In this all-important respect, divine wisdom 
and goodness are no less displayed, than they are 
in whatever concerns our relation to our Creator 
and our fellow-creatures. Our benificent Lord and 
Master, and Supreme Proprietor of all things, a- 
dapts* himself to our moral condition, infinitely 
beyond the adaptation of Christian parents, to the 
moral comprehension of their children. This is 
evident from the various aspects of his providential 
dealings towards us. Our time or the time allotted 
to us, is most admirably divided and sub -divided, 
both with regard to this world and the next. "VVe 
read 'the day is thine, the night also is thine:' and 
as we are dependant and accountable creatures, 
and under the greatest obligations to love and serve 
the Lord our God; what could be more suitable to 
our condition, than the division of day and night, 
pointing out to us, in language not to be misunder- 
stood, our every day duties, privileges and conse- 
quent dependence, and we no less clearly perceive 
our more special dependence upon the Almighty 
for protection every night! And as night is a very- 
just and most happy symbol of death; so is day a 

* Ps. xxv, 5, 9 and xc, 12. John xiv, 26. Job 
zxxiv, 32. Is xlviii, 17\ 



306 christian's guide 

very appropriate and most happy symbol of life 
So Dr. Young: 

'Each night we die! 

Each day we'er born anew.' 

And thus, most unquestionably, 'day unto day ut- 
tereth speech; and night unto night showeth knowl- 
edge:' and is there any speech or language where 
their voice is not heard? We know there is none! 
And it follows, that all who do not attend to their 
voice, are left 'without excuse!' Rom. i, 19. 

Have we, then, attended to their voice? How 
many days have we lived, since our reason first 
dawned? And how have we been employed, and 
what is our present condition? Each day is be- 
fore us, like a scroll of parchment: and on that 
scroll we may justly conceive our thoughts, words 
and actions, to be registered; and then placed as a 
page in the book of God's accounts, and so for every 
day ! And under this view of our condition, may 
we net with propriety exclaim. 

'How great my sins — 

Against thy law — against thy grace!' 

Now look at the division of weeks — look at Sa- 
turday evening! Another week has nearly gone 
forever! How many hundreds of thousands have 



AND GUARDIAN. 307 

entered into the eternal world since the last Sab- 
fcath* morning;? 

'And still thou lenglitenest out my days! 
And still my moments vunV 

And shall 1 lose any more time, misemploy any 
more of rny inconceiv ibly precious moments, after 
having been so long- spared, as a monument of divine, 
forbearance? Now we look at months: important 
seasons for reflection and consideration? * * * 
And what concern do we manifest for the heathen 
nations? Is, Ixii, 12 and lx, 1,2. 1 Thess. i, 8. 
Rom. i, 14. And now at the seasons! 

'Behold! fond man! 
See here thy pictur'd life: pass some few 

years, 
Thy flow'ring spring, thy summer's ardent 

strength, 

* Under tliis article, professors of -religion may 
well tremble under an awful sense of their unspeak- 
ably great and precious privileges, and correspond- 
ent accountability ! How many Sabbaths have we 
enjoyed? How many sermons have we heard? How 
many Sunday -schools U#ve we attended? How 
many monthly concerts, &c, &c. &c. 

We start up alarmed! It is well — it should be 
so! Hut let us not rest here! Alarm alone is noi 
sufficient/ Let. us, then, work 'while it is cqlled tor 
iayr J;ohn ix, 4 and iv, 34. 

srl 



308 christian's gvwM 

Thy aober autumn, fading into age, 
And pale concluding winter comes at la»V 
And shuts the scene.' — Thompson. 

But let us dwell upon these very important peri-' 
ods of our probation for eternity! Let not one of 
them pass away, without much deep reflection—* 
deep censideraticn, and deep heart-felt self-examin- 
ation! 

We come at length to look at the close of the year! 
How many millions of immortal spirits, of all ages 
and conditions, have passed into the eternal icor ld 9 
since the commencement of the year? But have I 
lived to a good purpose during so lond a period? 
And am I now prepared to die? If not, can I, un- 
der a correct view of the past, and under a^lear 
perception of the shortness of time, and under a 
clear, full and luminous view of the light of reason, 
conscience and scripture, can I live careless and 
unconcerned any longer? 'Prepare to meet thy 
God.' Amos iv, 12. Surely 'it is of the Lord's mer- 
cies that we are not consumed, because his com- 
passions fail not.' Lam. hi, 22. But we know not 
how much longer mercy will be extended to us! 
'In the midst of life we are in death!' and the 
dreadful ravages of 'the pestilence that walketh 
in darkness, and oFthe destruction that wasteth at 
noon-day,' and the frequent infliotion of awful 



AND GTXARDIAN. 309 

judgments,* most solemn!} 7 admonish and warn us, 
and call upon us, and in effect charge us in accents 
clear and vivid as the forked lightening, and infin- 
itely more terrific than reiterated peals of the most 
tremendous thunder, to 'make our peace with 
li'xl,' to prepare for death, judgment and the eter- 
nal world! 

4th. The adaptation of divine means to divine 
ends, is most strikingly evinced in the language 
which the Almighty employed in addressing the 
human family from time to time, till the canon of 

*■ Awful judgments have been inflicted upon 
different nations, in different ages of the world: 
but the comparatively innocent are not unfrequent- 
)y taken away with the guilty; and the brute crea- 
tion often suffer from hunger, thirst, disease, &c. 
But why so? These are so many awful tokens of 
file divine displeasure, and so many proofs of the 
ureadful consequences of sin, and so many beacons 
to warn the ungodly, and arouse every spiritual 
iltimberer to a sense of his duty and responsibility! 
•When the judgments of the Lord are abroad in 
the earth, the inhabitants of the world should learn 
righteousness.' Is. xxvi, 9. But with regard to in- 
flividual suffering, and temporal judgments, ab- 
stractly considered, we know — we are assured, that 
the Judge of all the earth does right, and will con- 
tinue to do right! while the means of solemn admo- 
nitions and warnings, if disregarded by the living, 
who should Hay them to heart,' will most fearfully 
augment the final judgments which will fall upon 
them! 

v2 



310 

revelation was completed. Such as 'the Lore! 
looketh down from heaven upon the children of 
men;' 'the Lord's arm is not shortened, that he 
cannot save; nor his ear heavy, that he cannot 
hear;' and 'it repented t] e Lord that he had . 
man upon the earth, and it grieved him at baa 
heart;' and 'God is angry 'with the wicked e\e i y 
day, &c- &c. &.c. 

ft is not a little remasTvaoh , that infidels have so 
frequently brought forward objections against the 
very language which affords such a convincing 
proof of Infinite condescension to finite creature-.: 
Surely it would not tie ft 

to a dim and contr^ci^.i .... ion of the divine 
means which are adapted to ii;e attainment of dr 
vine ends, or to obliquity of moral \ision, rather 
than to a principle or motivje of a very diuei-eis'S 
character! Fur as it must be evident, to every 
close thinker, that no one should suppose lor & 
moment, that the iuftniVe and eternal Jeuo;a. 
be compared to any finite being; so, from the i 
nature of thing's, he addresses finite minds in lan- 
guage adapted to their ecu prehension, if not — 
if he addressed them as a God; abstractly consider- 
ed,; thatls to say, in Linguae adapted to his own 
infinite mind, couid they understand him? linno, ~ 
sible! The idea is contrary to every truly rational 
perception of the AlmtgKij % Thus Mkt face of iLs 



AXD GUARDIAN. 311 

Lorn! is against thefts that do evil.' Now, as we 
clearly apprehend the idea thus presented to us; 
so it follows, that it is, therefore, adapted to our fi- 
nite comprehension) Eat we do not, therefore, in- 
fer from any process of ratiocination, that we should 
attribute physical properties to the Supreme Be* 
inefJ And so with regard to every analagous or 
or figurative, or adaptative word or phrase, com- 
prised in the sacred scriptures. 

A$ain v : A revelation from God to the human fa- 
mily, should from every correct view of adaptation^ 
h~ suited to every class of persons, from the highest 
to the lowest grade of intellect: and not (who would 
assert that it should?) be merely adapted to men* 

* The writings of many of the ancient philoso- 
phers, such as Aristotle, Plato and Socrates, were, 
and this will be acknowledged by infidels them- 
selves, like so many sealed boohs to the generality 
of their coevals. Our all-wise and beneficent Cre- 
ator hath not dealt so with us! 

We would respectfully intimate that, under, this 
h *ad, that there are many wise and good men, who 
do not appear to us, in their public address, to be 
sufficiently aware of the comparative illiteracy of 
many of their hearers. For having been long ac- 
customed to the language of the most learned au- 
thors, it not improbably appears to them, that what 
is so familiar to themselves, must be so to others! 
Hence it appears to follow, that there are many 
hearers who do not derive that; benefit from their 
iiicoiirse* which they otherwise would d©« Bu& 

k3 



312 christian's guide 

of strong and highly cultivated minus. It follows, 
therefore, that a revelation adapted to alMasses bf 
society, is the only revelation that accords with t 
rational adaptation of means to ends! M*\ such is 
the revelation presented to us in the holy bible. 

V. The adaptation of Divine means to Hi vine 
ends is also exemplified in the kind and coiteHU* 
ting language of the Almignty. Let us hear hiu4s 
'Behold the eye of tiie Lord is upon them that 
fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.' 'T:iu 
Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heai ^ 
and saveth such as he of a contrite spirit.' O tadt<* 
and see that the Lord is good, blessed" is the ihi.i 
that trusteth in him.' 'He will fulfil tiie desiix ( f 
them that fear him: he also will hear their chy, aw i 
will save them.' And let us hear his parental ap- 
peals to the Israelites, after they had grieved his 

it is, far beyond a doubt, very difficult to became 
'all things to all men.' 'Who is ' sufficient $>i :'•;<- 
things?' What mortal hand can touch trie vtssi '.-* 
of the sanctuary without soiling tiie m? But th < 
'treasure' is placed 'in earthen vessels, that the ex- 
cellency of the power may be of (iod, ami not of 
man.' But what is the chad" to the wh^al? ,;» . i 
the Lord.' 'My grace is sufficient for thee, b\f 
strength is made perfect inweakw.s.' And *tf 
shall the 'word of the Lord have free course, a: a 
run and be glorified.' 'is not in) -void ike asi 
fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer, that b:t;.k- 
eth the rock in pieces }f 



asp evAa-Buut. Ml 

Hdy Spirit, and rebelled against him. They were 
compared to a 'vineyard, the planting" of the Lord-, 
that he might be glorified/ Figuratively speakings 
*he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, 
and planted it with the choicest vine: and ye* 
*whenhe looked that it should bring forth grapes, 
it brought forth wild grapes.' Hence his deck- 
ration and appeal, 'yet I had planted thee a noble 
vine, wholly a right seed, how then art thou turn- 
ed into the degenerate plant of a strange vine un- 
to me?' And hence his appea} unto their sense of 
justice. 'And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, 
and men of Judah, judge, T pray you,' (what aston- 
ishing condescension^) 'betwixt me and. my vine- 
yard. What could have been done more to my 
vineyard th at I have not done in it? Wherefore, 
when I looked that it should bring fortk grapes 
brought it forth wild grapes?'* "For the vineyard 
of the Lord of hosts is the house of -&rael T and the 
men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for 
judgment and behold oppression ^ for righteous- 
ness bnt behold a cry.* &nd what followed ? Mark 
the divine forbearance! "Fury is not in me: who 
would burn them together. Or, let him take 
hold of my strength, that he may make pea&» 
with me.' Is. v. 1, 4. Our God is the God of 
peace.' Horn, xvi, 20; and therefore sinners are in- 
cited to fmake their p*eace wiCh hiau' And haw 
H4 



314 christian's guide 

often he instructs us as well as invites and warns . 
them. "For precept, he says, must be upon pre- 
cept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line 
upon line; here a little and there a little. 3 And 
< who among" you will give ear to this? Who will 
hearken and fear for the time to come? But they 
would not 'hearken to his voice:' and therefore, 
judgments came upon them. 'Their iniquities sep- 
arated between them and their God, and their sins 
hid his face from them,'' And then, 'who gave Ja- 
cob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not 
the Lord; he against whom they had sinned? for 
they would not walk in his ways, neither were they 
obedient unto his law!' Hence the language of the 
evangelical prophet: 'Our transgressions are multi- 
plied before thee and our sins testify against us.' And 
the prophet Jeremiah: 'O Lord, are not thine eyes 
upon the truth } Thou hast stricken them, but 
they have no* grieved; thou hast consumed thrm, 
but they have refused to receive instruction; for 
they have made their faces harder than a. rock; 
they have refused to return.' And also the pro- 
phet Zechariah : But they refused to hearken, and 
pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears 
tha* they should not hear. Yea, they made their 
heart as an adamantine stone, lest they should hear 
the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts 
hath sent in his spirit by by the former prophets; 



AND GUARDIAN. 315 

therefore came a great wrath #om the Lord of 
hosts,' and 'therefore it is come to pas§, that as he 
cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and 
I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts.' And 
now, fellow traveller to eternity, we ask thee, what 
wouldst thou have done, if thad been possible 
for thee to have been in God's place? And a- 
galn: Do the magistrates of our laud bear equally 
long 1 with the open and flagrant transgressions of 
the human laws by which we are governed? Or, 
are the transgressors of the laws of any country al- 
lowed tq violate them with impunity for weeks, and 
months and years in succession? We need, not re- 
ply! But can we find stronger language? They 
refused to hearken and stopped their ears and 
made their faces hard as a rock, and their hearts as 
on adamant stone. And let us again look at the 
divine forbearance: 'What could have been done 
more to my vineyard that I have not done in it ?'' The 
following is the substance of a very striking pas- 
sage in one of the 'Village Sermons' of the venera- 
able G. Bnrder: that if the Almighty should dele 
gate one of the wisest and best men of the human 
family — to sit upon his throne, and superintend all 
the concerns of this world, and impart to him all 
the knowledge and power: requisite to his high 
commission; that before the expiration of an hour, 
he would be so shocked at the diversified wicked - 
#5. 



Sl^ christian's GUIDE 

ness which he would behold in that time, that he 
would be ready to let loose the vials of vengeance 
upon all the impenitent sinners upon the earth V 
What then shall we think of the divine forbear- 
ance? And is it not a lamentable fact* that 'be 
cause sentence against an evil work is not speedily 
executed, therefore the hearts of the sons of men 
are freely set in them to do evil?' Ecc. viii, 11 * 
VI. The adaptation of divine means to divine 
ends: as so many excitements to virtue, and so 
many disuasives to vice are portrayed to our view, 
and urged upon our consideration, and claim the 
mpartial exercise of our reason in all the varied 
contrasts of virtue and vice, and in all the clear, 
full and luminous exhibitions of both virtuous and 
vicious characters, in the sacred scriptures! There 
we behold virtue, the moral image of Deity! em- 
bodied to our view! And even a heathen might 

* The Almighty bore long with the guilty and 
polluted inhabitants of Canaan; 'for,' said he to A* 
braham, 'The iniquity of the Amorites' (one of the 
nations designated by name,) 'is not yet full.' And 
how long he bears with sinners generally! But 
why should they presume upon his forbearance? 
Should not the long suffering of God lead them to 
repentance? Beware sinner, lest he take thee away 
suddenly! 'To-day if ye will hear his voice harcU 
en not your heart.' Heb. iv. 7: Ps, xc, 12. 
"Wilt thou not then ^pceive instruction? Job xxxiit, 
14, 17. Ps. xxv, 12. 



AND GUARDIAN. 317 

»ay — 'If there is a God (and that there is — all tiii m 
ture proclaims aloud!) he must delight in virtue! 
and that which he delights in must be happy!' I 
cannot he"6lliet*'wwfc? 

•See conscious virtue void t>f fears!' 
And should we not, therefore, love, virtue, an.l f 
hate vice? See her lovely portrait' Love to God 
and man! and he that thus loveth is born of God. 
Luke x. 27. Gal. v, 22,23. And he that is born 
of God loveth his brother: and he beholds, as ?in 
a glass, the glory of the Lord, till he is changed 
into the same image, from glory to glory, by the 
spirit of the Lord,' And then'his virtue, his love, 
is consumated! The end of his creation is ans- 
wered: he is a son of God, and a companion of ho- 
ly angels and glorified spirits forever! Now look 
at the means. — Read, '-search the scriptures!' Fol- 
low the light, the light of thy dispensation! thro* 
the divine grace which has been so long proffered 
to thee and proffered to thee through the atone- 
ment of the Lord Jesus Christ! Thus, then, re- 
pent, believe, obey! and thus be virtuous be hap- 
py, forever and ever. What inestimable means! 
what a glorious end! 

Shall we now view the monster vice? He is al„ 

so embodied in the the black catalogue of moral 
crimes Gal. v. 19, 21. But how does he appear? 
Not unfrequently putting darkness for light:' evea 
JN T 6 



318 

'•transforming himself into an angel of light!' 
Singing 'the syren song of pleasure,' and thus be- 
guiling unstable souls' telling lies, under the sem- 
blance of virtue,' and thus acknowledging her ra- 
tional claims, while living in d"rect opposition to 
her precepts! But w T hen he has obtained a firm 
footing how does he then appear? Assumes a Lra~ 
zen front! drinks iniquity like water' and -draw.* 
sin as with a cart rope:' "He hath left oif to be 
wise and do good,' (even the semblance of wisdom 
and virtue have departed from him!) and 'he glo- 
ries in his shame.' But we turn with horror from 
the hideous spectacle, and we turn with rapture 

to the moral sun of virtue!" 
And now, 

"Sweet glories rush upon my sight, 
And charm my wond'ring eyes; 
The regions of immortal light, 
The beauties of the skies.' 

SEC TIO N Vr 

SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES ! SCRIPTURAL 
BEACONS1 

"Whatever things were written aforetime, were 
written for our learning, that we through patience 
and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope, 
Horn, xv, 4. Therefore we ought to give the more 



AND GUARDIAN. - Si 9 

earnest heed to the things which we have heard, 
lest at any time we should let them shp. Ileb. ii, 1. 
"This know, also, that in the last days, perilous 
times shall come.' 2 Timothy iii. 1. Therefore, 
'Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a work 
man thatneedeth not to be ashamed, rightly divid- 
ing' the word of truth: but shun profane and vain 
babblings, for they will increase unto more un- 
godlines.' 2 Tim. iii, 15, 16. 'And the servant 
of the Lord must not strive;' (must not make an 
irrational and unscriptural opposition,) 'but be gen- 
tle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meek 
ness, instructing those that oppose themselves:' For 
God may 'peradventure, give them repentance to 
the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may 
recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, 
who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Tim. 
ii, 24, 26. And the apostle enjoined upon Timo- 
thy, 'to avoid foolish and unlearned questions,' and 
the opposition of science falsely so called.' But to 
'give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doc- 
trine .-'and to 'meditate upon these things, and give 
himself wholly to them, that his profiting might 
appear to all;' 1 Tim. iv, 15. And so Titus was en- 
joined — to 'hold fast the faithful word, as he had 
been taught, that he might be able, by sound doc- 
trine, both to exhort and convince the gainsay ers/ 
Titus i, 9. Now, as Jannes and Jambrea withstood 
*7 



320 CHRISTIAN'S GUI0S 



"Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of cor' 
rupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.' 2 Tim. 
i]i, 8 Ever learning, and never able to come to the 
knowledge of the truth.' But their Folly shall be 
manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.' 2 Tim* 
iii, 7. Let Christians, therefore, learn to wield 
their sword of the spirit, which is the ward of 
God;' and let them 'shew all meekness towards all 
men;' thai: speaking* the truth in love — they may 
grow up into Christ their living head in all things/ 
"who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when 
he suffered he threatened not; but committed him- 
self to him that judgeth righteously, who his own- 
self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that 
we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteous- 
ness: by whose stripes we are healed. For ye 
were as sheep going astray; but are now returned 
to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.' 1 Peter, 
ii 23, 25. Let us therefore now look at the bright 
examples portrayed before us in the lively oracles] 
and let us endeavor, through divine grace to be as 
meek as Moses, as patient as Job, as amiable as 
John, as ardent in prayer and thanksgiving as Da- 
vid, as much devoted to the sacred scriptures as A- 
pollos and Timothy, as much given to hospitality 
as Gams, as persevering as Caleb and Joshua, as 
bold as Peter, as zealous an<j laborious, in our 
providential sphere, as Paul, as forgiving as Steph- 
en, and as strong in faith as Abraham: 'And we 



AND 6HJARDIAN. Sfl 

desire that every one of you do shew the same dil- 
igence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who 
through faith and patience inherit the promises, 
Ileb. Vi, 11, 12. For they, 'being 1 dead, yet speak' 
to us, an;] in effect call upon us to follow them, e- 
ve.n a-; they followed Christ. We are not required to 
follow them otherwise than as they followed Christ. 
Their former sins and unbelief they had repented 
of, and mourned over, and obtained peace and par- 
don, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and being 
'converted' they strengthened their brethren,' and 
admonished them by their own experience, not to 
be faithless; but believing/ — not toyield to the fear 
of man, which biingeth a snare; but to trust in the 
Lord, that they might be safes' not to be overween- 
ing and self-boasting, but strong in the grace which 
is in Christ Jesus, and 'to worship God in the spirit, 
rejoice in Christ Jesus, have no confidence in the 
Jlesk. 9 Are not these means admirably adapted to 
the attainment of all important ends? And as we 
are encompassed with such a clowd of witnesses 
should we not lay aside every weight; and the sin 
which doth so easily beset us, and run with pa- 
tience the race that is set before us; looking unto 
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for 
the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, 
despising the shams, and is set down at tha right 
MS 



B2% christian's guide 

hand of the throne of God? Heb. xii 1, 2. Let us* 
therefore, abound in every good word and work, 
and 'give all diligence to make our calling and elec- 
tion sure,* 2 Tim. iii, 17. 2 Peter i, 10. 

We now turn to the scriptural beacons — the 
solemn warnings proclaimed to us by Jehovah I 
Look at the Israelites in the desert — they tempted 
God — they murmured— they were idolaters — they 
were unbelieving! Now look' at the judgments 
inflicted upon them! At the fiery serpents — the 
deadly plague — their exclusion from Canaan, and 
the fall of their carcasses in the wilderness, with 
the exception of Caleb and Joshua! 1 Cor. x, 13. 
Look at 'Balaam, who loved the wages of unrigh- 
teousness, but was rebuked for his iniquity: the 
<lumb ass, speaking with man's voice, forbade the 
madness of the prophet.' 2 Peter ii, 16. Yet Ba- 
laam could exclaim, 'let me die the death of the 
righteous, and let my last end be like his." Num. 
xxiii, 19. Look at Esau, who for one morsel of 
meat sold his birth-right; for ye know that after 
ward, when he would have inherited the blessing, 
he was rejected: for he found no place for repen- 
tence, though he sought it carefully with tears. 
Heb. xii, 16, 17. Look at the flood of waters 
which was brought upon the world of the ungodly ! 
2 Peter ii, 5. Look at the cities of the plain — at 
&odora and Gomorrah — at Admah and Geboira! 



AND GUARDIAN. 323 

See the fire and brimstone full upon tn§rn from 
heaven, and the smoke of those cities, and their 
guilty inhabitants, and their country, ascend to- 
gether like the smoke of a furnace! Gen. xix, 28. 
Look * * * - but time would fail! We are 
surrounded with the most terrific beacons — indi- 
vidual and national — amid Jews and Gentiles — in 
different ages of the world, and under different de- 
grees and dispensations of light and knowledge 
and fearful responsibility! * Verily he is a God that 
judgeth the earth,' and 'though hand join in hand 
— the wicked' — the finally impenitent, 'shall not 
go unpunished/ 

Reader hast thou entered the Ark &f Safety? — 
Hast thou fled for thy life, as the man-slayer to the 
city of refuge? Hast thou 'fled from the wrath to 
come?' Are all ~these indescribably awful judg- 
ments hedging up thy way — damping every guilty 
joy— exciting every salutary fear, and proving to 
thee, that 'the way of transgressors is hard,' that 
there is but a step between thee and death, and 
proving, in the full view of the perdition of unnum- 
bered millions, the means, among so many other 
means, under an all-wise and gracious providence, 
of thy salvation? For 'behold, now is the accepted 
time — now is the day of salvation.' And whatever 
may be thy present condition, and whatever may 
be thy future condition, thou hast seen^ and 
k9 



S24 christian's guide 

thou dost now see the astonishingly diversified a* 
daplation of divine means to divine ends! Hence 
we are assured, that justice and mercy, law and 
gospel, grace and truth, proclaim, with one united 
voice 9 the impenitent sinner is an enemy to God by 
his transgressions and rebellion, and he is therefore 
'condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth 
upon him.' 2 Cor. vi, 2. John iii, 18, 36. 

SECTION VI. 

THE EQUITY AND JUSTICE OF ALL THE 
DIVINE RETRIBUTIONS. 

'Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy 
name.' Ps. exxxviii, 3. 

'I will hear what God the Lord will speak; for he 
will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, 
but let them not turn again to folly.' Ps. lxxxv, 8. 

We now look back upon primeval simplicity — 
upon lovliness, holiness, happiness! 'And (then) 
God saw everything that he had made, and behold, 
it was very good.' We would gladly dwell upon 
this sublime and heart-cheering scene for some 
time! But we are compelled to go forward, and 
hear the solemn declaration, 'I will destroy them 
from the face of the earth: both man and beast, 
and the creeping things, and the fowls of the air; 



AND GUARDIAN. 325 

for it repentpth me that I have made them.' When 
sin entered the world, it spread its pestiferous in- 
fluence over every thing", like a dark cloud over the 
whole earth, and like a poisoned atmosphere, by 
the cholera, plague, or any other pestilence! Sure- 
ly, then, we should dread sin, infinitely more than 
we dread a pestilence! For it is the former that 
produces the latter! And what is more likely to 
convey to our minds a clear and piercing percep- 
tion of its nature, character and consequences, than 
a correct view of the judgments of the Almighty, 
as they are portrayed before us in the history of 
the world; except, indeed, we look to Calvary! 
And such a view at once removes from the sincere 
inquirer after truth, all that cloud of misapprehen- 
sion, which is the natural result of moral perversion, 
by the means of which multitudes deceive their own 
souls! 7 he most horrible deception of deceptions/ 
And then, firmly leagued with sin, and satan, with 
a lie in their right-hand, and the rankling of a cor- 
rupt heart, and darkness before them, and the true 
light behind them, they endeavor to draw others 
after them, take them hand-in-hand with them 
down to the pit of 'perdition' and destruction 
'of ungodly men, 5 'to whom is reserved the 
blackness of darkness forever.' Jude i, 13. — 
'Deceivers and being deceived,' they thus led away 
'unstable souls,' thus plunge themselves and others 
into irremiclable wo! 2 Tim. iii, 13. 2 Peter ii, 14.. 



326 

In a word, the blind* thus led the blind, fill both 
fell into the pit! Mat. xv, 14. 

We proceed: 'All flesh had corrupted its way 
upon the earth:' all but Noah, 'a preacher of righ- 
teousness,' who found 'grace in the eyes of the 
Lord:' and who was therefore commanded to pre- 
pare an ark for the salvation of himself and his 
family, eight persons, and he also the eighth person 
from Adam* And then the long-suffering of God 
waited an hundred years! The ark, though a ves- 
sel of large dimensions, might have been prepared 
by a proportionate process of means, in a compar- 

* Though painfully restricted with regard to 
space, to the unavoidable preclusion of many im- 
portant materials, arguments and illustrations, all 
in unison with our subject, we would here remark 
that one great cause of error, appears to be this: all 
who have not 'come to the light,* and therefore 
'walk in darkness, because darkness hath blinded 
their eyes;' all these persons read the sacred scrips 
tures, as they would read any historical or worldly 
composition,withoutan ardent desire to know and do 
the will of God, and constant and fervent prayer for 
divine teaching. And what is the consequence? 
So far as the bible meets the level of the worldly 
mind, and so far as it appears to them like any 
worldly composition, so far they go! So fur they 
appear to understand all the historical and common 
parlance language of the sacred volume! But 
when they would reason upon the doctrines of the 
scriptures, or whatever is connected with a correct 
view of the divine attributes and perfections* aad 



AND GUARDIAN. 327 

tlvely short time. But when the Lord 'waiteth,' 
he 'slumbereth' not. 'Be not deceived; God is not 
mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall 
he reap.' He that soweth to his flesh, shall of the 
flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the 
Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.' Gal. 
vi, 7, 8. And so it was with the Antedeluvians: it 
does not appear that any of them repented under 
the ministry of Noah: 'They were eating' and drink- 
ing", marrying 1 and giving in marriage, until the day 
that Noah entered into the ark.' Luke xvii, 27. 
They did not believe the awful declaration of the 

the spirituality of the divine law, and tlie gospel 
plan of salvation, they are, most unhappily for them- 
selves, like blind men in the midst of noon-day! 
Hence the carnal, obscene and blasphemous objec- 
tions of Paine, Owen, Carlisle and many others! 
They did not see far enough! See 1 bm\ ii, 14. ~2 
Thess. ii, 10, 12. Titus i, 15, 16. 2 Peter hi, 3. 
But a striking contrast is before us! Now see the 
Christian with the sacred volume before him. 
What does his Lord and Master say to him, and, 
indeed, to every reader ? John vi.i, 17. And what 
is the Christian's rep]} 7 ? Ps. cxliii, 10. Job xxiii, 
12. Jer. xv, 16, Ps. cxix, 99, 105, andxix, 7, and 
cxxxviii, 2. 2 Cor. ii, 17. 2 Peter i, 19. And there- 
fore, 'if any man speak, let him speak as the oracles 
of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the 
ability which God giveth: that God in all things 
may be glorified, through Jesus Christ; to whom 
be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen,' 
1 Peter iv, IX, 



22$ christian's guide 

Almighty ! Hence we read, that 'by faith Noah, 
being warned of God of things not seen as yet 
moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving o~ 
his house; by which he condemned the world, and 
became heir of the righteousness winch is by Faith.' 
Keb. x : , 7, Do we thus believe the solemn decla- 
rations of the Almighty? And if God spared not 
the inhabitants of the old world, after being so long 
with them; shall he spare us, if we continue impen- 
itent and unbelieving? Look at the awful destruc- 
tion which followed! 'All flesh died that moved 
upon the earth,' all were swept away, as by the 
besom of destruction, into the eternal world! It is 
evident, therefore, that it is contrary to the justice 
and holiness of God, to spare the final!!/ impenitent/ 
•7or if God spared not the angels that sinned, but 
cast them down to hell, and delivered them into 
Chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;' 
and inHictel so many dreadful judgments upon the 
posterity of Adam, after the flood of waters had 
been brought upon the world of the ungodly: visit- 
ing Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, 
with a fiery deluge! Overthrowing Babylon, the 
'pride of the Chaldean's glory,' and the mother of 
abominations, and the wisest of many nations — exe 
cuting the wo pronounced against 'Nineveh, the 
bloody city,' abasing the pride of Egypt, and of 
Tyre and Sidon, and repeatedly, through a series 



AND GUARDIAN. 32 § 

of ages, 'staining the pride of all human glory!'— 
making a Belshazzar tremble before the writing 
on the wall, and his knees smite one against ano- 
ther; compelling a proud Nebuchadnezzar to eat 
grass like oxen, and to be wet with the dew of 
heaven, till seven seasons had passed over him, and 
pouring clown upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 
the devoted city, the vials of long accumulated 
wrath and indignation, for their wilful and obstin 
r'c rejection of the Messiah! As, in fine, the Al- 
mighty has inflicted so many tremendous judgments 
upon so many nations, in so many different periods- 
of the world! What think you, will be the doom 
— the final doom of all those who now sin, with a 
high hand, and continue in rebellion, and continue 

• o grieve the Holy Spirit, under the meredian light 
of the Christian dispensation of the glorious gospel! 

* All are without excuse. 9 How much more the lat- 
ter? We have seen, that where ( much is given, 
much will be required. 9 'He will render unto every 
man according to his works' — according to the 
light and knowledge of his dispensation! For 'the 
righteous Lord loveth righteousness,' and his 'judg- 
ment is according to truth.' Let us now hear the 
language of the compassionate and most gracious 
Saviour, who so often invites and entreats sinners 
o come to him for pardon and peace. 'Then be- 
gan he to upbraid the cities wherein "most of his 



$30 christian's guide 

nvghty works were done, because they repented, 
not. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee 
Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were 
done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they 
would have repented long ago in sackcloth and 
ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolera- 
ble for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, 
than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which ar£ 
exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell; 
for if the mighty works which have been done in 
thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have re- 
mained unto this day. But 1 say unto you, that it 
shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in 
the day of judgment than for thee.'* And we may 
now affirm, in the full view of the canon of revela- 
tion, which comprises all the scriptures of the Old 
and New Testament, with the history and experi- 
ence of the. church of God down to the completion 
of the sacred volume; we may now justly affirm, of 
those people and cities, which resist the light and 
truth, and force of their very superior dispensation! 
that it will be more tolerable for Chorazin, and 
Bethsaida, and Capernaum in the day of judgment 
than for thee!* And what more shall we now say > 

* See Mat. xi, 20, 24. Ps. xi, 7. Rom. ii, 2. Ps. 
cxvii, 2. 

f Luke xix, 12, 27. Jer. xvii, 17. Ecc.xii, 14* 
Rev. xxii, 12. 



AND GUARDIAN. $$\ 

And to what conclusion have we now arrived? We 
have been called, through divine grace, to sustain 
our position, from reason, conscience and scripture; 
and we «.an now also affirm to the reader,, with all 
the force of moral demonstration, that truth is our 
motto — that reason is our lesser light— that conscience 
ss our continual monitor — that revelation is our meri- 
dian sun, and the eternal God our Guide and Guar* 
dlan! 



SECTION VII. 

CHRISTIAN FAITH AND CONSOLATION;, 
UNBELIEF AND DESPONDENCY; THE 
IRAT10NALITYOY EVERY EXCUSE FOR 
NEGLECTING AN IMMEDIATE ATTEN- 
TION TO RELIGION! 

The following extracts from the life of that dis- 
tinguished minister of Christ, Dr. Payson, will be 
read with deep interest by every Christian. 

*To a Clergyman, 'Oh if ministers only saw the 
inconceivable glory that is before them, and the 
preciousness of Christ, they w T ould not be able to 
refrain from going about leaping 'and clapping 
their hands for joy, and exclaiming, I'm a minis- 
ter of Christ! 5 'When I read Bunyaa's descri * 



332 christian's guide 

tion of the land of Beulah, where the sun shines 
and the birds sing" day and night, 1 used to doubt 
whether there was such a place; but now my own 
experience has convinced me of it, and it infinite- 
ly transcends all my previous conception.' The 
following 1 letter could hardly fail to give a happy 
impulse to all who have tasted that the Lord is gra- 
cious." 1 Peter, ii 3. 

Dear. Sister, 

Were I to adopt the figurative language of 
Bunyan, I might date this letter from the land of 
Beulah, of which I have been for some weeks a 
happy inhabitant. The celestial city is full in my 
view. Its glories beam upon me, its breezes fan 
me, its odors are wafted to me, its sounds strike 
upon my ears: and its spirit is breathed into my 
heart. Nothing separates me from it but the river 
of death, which now appears but as an insignificant 
rill, that may be crossed at a single step, whenever 
pod shall give permission. The sun of righteous- 
ness has been gradually drawing nearer and nearer 
appearing larger and brighter as he approached, 
and now he fills the whole hemisphere; pouring 
forth a flood of glory, in which I seem to float like 
an insect in the beams of the sun, exulting yet 
trembling, while I gaze on the excessive bright- 
ness, and wonder with unuterable wonder, why 



I 



AND GUARDIAN, 333 

God should deign thus to shine upon a sinful worm. 
A single heart and a single tongue seems altogeth- 
er inadequate to my wants, I want a whole heart 
for every separate emotion, and a whole tongue 
to express that emotion. But why do I thus speak, 
of myself and my feelings! Why not only speak 
of our God and Redeemer? It is because I know 
not what to say. When I would speak of them, 
my words are all swallowed up. I can only tell 
you what effects their presence produces, and even 
of these I can tell you but very little. Oh, my 
sister, my sister! could you but know what awaits 
the Christian, could you know only so much as I 
know, you could not refrain from rejoicing, and e- 
ven leaping for joy. Labours, trials, troubles, 
would be nothing: you would rejoice in afflictions, 
and glory in tribulations; and like Paul and Silas, 
sing God's praises in the darkest night,fand in the 
deepest dungeon. You have known a little of my 
trials and conflicts, and know that they have been 
neither few nor small; and I hope this glorious ter- 
mination of them will serve to strengthen your 
faith, and elevate your hope. And now my dear 
dear sister, farewell. Hold on your Christian 
course but a few days longer, and you will meet 
in heaven, your happy and affectionate brother. 
EDWARD PAYS ON* 



334 

And many have thus glorified the Lord in "the 
furnace of affliction,' and had been enabled to say 
'He doeth all things well.' 'He doth not willing- 
ly afflict, nor grieve the children of men. 5 And 
therefore, let every christian say, 

"No cross nor suffering I decline, 
Only let all my heart be thine.' 
The Rev. Robert Hall could say, whilst suffering 
from acute pain 'I enjoy every thing.' According 
with .the words of the Psalmist, "My heart and 
my flesh fail* but God is the strength of my heart 
and my portion forever.' Thou art my portion, O 
my God!" — And 'the Lord's portion is his psople.* 
And each of these can say, — 

"The testimonies of thy grace, 

I set before my eyes: 
Hence I derive my daily strength, 
And there my comfort lies.' 
Shall we, then, prove a blot or a blank,, a bles- 
sing or a curse: to ourselves, and to all with whom 
we have intercourse? Shall we answer the end of 
our creation, aucl be forever thankful to God that 
we were born? Or shall we resist divine light, 
and grieve the holy Spirit, and bring misery upon 
ourselves and others, and forever reproach our- 
selves, and most bitterly lament that we were 
born? These questions are most emphatically ans- 
wered in the following contrast which is one of the 



AND GUARDIAN 335 

most striking and impressive in tlie records of the 
world. 'Who,' says Voltaire, 'can, without horror, 
consider the whole world as the empire'? of de- 
struction? It abounds with wonders, r it also a- 
bounds with victims. It is a vast field of carnage 
and contagion. Every'species is without pity pur* 
sued and torn to pieces, through the earth and ^air 
and water.*' In man there is more wretchedness 
than i« all the other animals, put together. He 
loves life, and yet he knows that he must die. If 
he enjoys a transient good, he suffers various e * 
vils, and is at last devoured by worms. This 
knowledge is his fatal prerogative: other -animals 
have it not. He spends the transient moments of 
h?g exigence in diffusing the miseries which he suf* 
fers; in cutting the throats of his fellow creatures 
for pay; in cheating and being cheated; in robbing 
and being robbed, in serving that he might com- 
mand; and in repenting of all he does. The bulk 
of mankind are nothing more than a crowd of 
wretches, equally criminal and unfortunate; and the 
globe contains rather carcases than men. 1 trem- 
ble at the review of this dreadful picture, to find 
that it contains a complaint against Providence it- 
self; and I WISH I HAD NEVER" BEEN BORN!' 
Now let us hear the language of the excellent 
Halliburton, who died as he lived, full of confidence 
in God. I shall shortly gel a very different tight 



336 christian's ©hide 

of God from what I have ever hafi, and shall b« 
made meet to praise him forever and ever. 

O the thoughts of an incarnate Deity are meet 
and ravishing. O how I wonder at myself; that I 
do not love him more, and that I do not admire him 
more. What a wonder that I enjoy suciLcompo- 
sure under all my bodily pains, and in the view of 
death itself, j What a mercy that, having the use 
of my reason, I can declare his goodness to my soul. 
I long for his salvation; I bless his name that I have 
found him, and die rejoicing in him. O blessed be 
God that 1 was born! O that I was where he is. I 
have a father and mother, and ten brothers and sis- 
ters in heaven, and I shall be the eleventh. O there 
is a telling in this Providence, and T shall be telling 
it forever. If there be such a glory in his conduct 
towards me now, what will it be to see the Lamb in 
the midst of the throne? Blessed be God that ever 
/ was born!— Jay's exercises, p. 14. 

VAIN EXCUSES. 

H have no time to think of these things now." 
said a young lady who was affectionately urged to 
consider her future prospects, and take care of her 
immortal soul. *I have no time to think of these 
things now!' O how many are like her in this land 
of light! O that such would turn aside far a mo- 
ment from the dazzling and treacherous scenes 



A2TD GUARDIAN. 337 

which the world presents, and look upon Mm who 
left the glories of heaven and became a weary wan, 
derer on earth; subject to want, and neglect, and 
contempt, and persecution: to mysterious agonies 
that caused a perspiration of blood; to the dreadful 
death of the cross! O that they would consider 
these affecting facts, and remember that all this was 
done for their souls; and that, but for this, no voice 
of mercy had ever reached them!' — Episcopal Re* 
eorder. 

Have they, then, indeed, no time to think of 
these things' 1 * * * 

'I am so much engaged in attending to the things 
of tMs life,' said a gentleman some time ago, 'that 
I cannot attend to religion! 9 He was so much en~ 
gaged with his inferior interests, that he had no 
time to attend to his superior interests! This he 
should have done, and not have left the other un- 
done! Was there, then, any reasonable excused 
Was it not the most extreme folly? 

'Pause, and hear the voice of reason! 

Catch the moments as they fly — 
You who lose the present season, 

You must all find time to die! 9 

And therefore, 'whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, 
do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor de- 
vice, nor knowledge,, nqr wisdom in the grav© 
whither thou goest.' Ecc. ix, 10, 



p-3£ CHRISTIANS GtriD^ 

Tire 'barren fig-tree' will soon be cut down, and 
time with thee will be no more, and mercy will 
have 'clean gone forever,' and the compassionate 
Saviour will no longer proclaim pardon for rebels 
—redemption through his blood! Mat. xxv, 46. 
Eev. xxii, H. \ 

And ity?W| reader, with the conclusion of this 
chapter, we request of thee, to think closely and 
seriously upon its contents; and to rest assured, that 
if then art not convinced of the truth and inconceiv- 
able importar.ee of the Christian religion, from the 
foregoing representation of k the paternal character 
of the divine government; the harmony of the divine 
dispensations; the adaptation of divine means to di- 
vine ends; the equity and justice of all the divine 
retributions; and the most striking contrasts; wis- 
dom opposed to folly — truth to error — right rea- 
son to a false philosophy — virtue to vice — true reli- 
gion to infidelity, and as the natural result of the 
one, no less than the natural consequence of the 
other, under the moral government of Deify! — hap- 
piness to misery/ — that if thou art not thus con- 
vinced: so 'neither wouldst thou be persuaded, 
though one should rise from the dead.' These are 
'the words of truth and soberness of unsophisticated 
reason! — of revelation itself! — of the only living and 
true God!* 

* See Luke xvi, 29, 31. John v", 17. 2 Thesfl.ii, 
10. 



CHAPTER VIII 



BISECTIONS TO SINCERE INQUIRERS. 

'The redemption of the soul is precious:' and 
after this life, when hope expires, and bleeding 
mercy dies, 'it ceaseth forever.' 'None of them 
can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to 
God a ransom for him.' Ps. xlix, 7, 8. 

Who then can neglect the salvation of his im- 
mortal soul, and not strive to enter into the way of 
life at the strait gate, and not deny himself of what- 
ever is contrary to the divine w r ili and word, and 
take up every cross, however painful to flesh and 
blood: who can think, speak and act contrary to 
his interests, in all these respects and not be justly 
charged witn the most extreme folly/* 

Wilt thou not, then, become truly wise — 'wise 
unto salvation, through faith wdiich is in Christ 
Jesus?' 2 Tim. hi, 15. 



* See Luke x, 41, 42, and xv, 18, and xii, 23. 
Mat. xv], 24. 



$40 CHRISTIANAS GU1D2 

'Deny thyself, and take thy cross, 
Is the Redeemer's great concern: 

Nature must count her gold but dross, 
If she would gain the heavenly land.' 

£>ut 'his commandments are not grievous.' 1 Join! 
V, 3. He is not a hard master. Mat. xxv, 24, 30, 
His service is perfect freedom* (John viii, 32.) and 
most reasonable. Rom. xii, 1. . 

Let reason answer I * * * Ana what 
does scripture again declare? Scripture again ap- 
peals to our reason — one question is answered by 
another. 'What shall it profit a man, if he shall 
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? Or 
what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 
Mark viii, 36, 37. 

'What is the thing of greatest price, 

The whole creation round .^ 
That which was lost in Paradise, 

That which in Christ is found. 

The soul of man — Jehovah's breath— 
That keeps two worlds at strife; 

Hell moves beneath to work its death, 
Heaven stoops to give it life. 

<iod, to redeem it, did not spare 
His well-beloved Son; 



AND GUARtHAF, $41 

Jesus, to save it, deign'd to bear 
The sins of all in one. 

And is this treasure borne below, 

In earthen vessels frail? 
Can none its utmost value know* 

Till flesh and spirit fail? 

Then let us gather round the cross, 

That knowledge to obtain; 
Not by the soul's eternal loss, 

But everlasting gain.' 

Is this, indeed, the very language of thy heart ? 
Do the things of time and sense no longer receive 
thy chief attention — no longer operate as a delusive 
charm upon thy mind — no longer bind thee down 
to earth? And what of the vanities and immoral 
pleasures of the world? Can they satisfy the crav- 
ings of an immortal mind — can they afford thee any 
solid satisfaction — can they decoy the any longer? 
Art thou not willing to throw away what is not 
worth possessing? Nay, infinitely more, (surely 
our eyes are not half open!) to avoid them, as thou 
wouldst avoid so many serpents and adders, full of 
the most envenomed poison, the bite of which 
would be instant death? And therefore, 'let not 
thy heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of 
fcha Lord all the day long.' Prov, xxiii, 17, 



S4S CHRISTIAN'S GtflDE 

'On what a slippery steep 

Those thoughtless sinners go! 
And oh! that dreadfuFfiery deep 

That waits their fall below.' 

'Wherefore, come out from among them, and be 
ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the un- 
clean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a 
Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and 
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.' 2 Cor. vi, 17, 
18. Wilt thou not, then, 'strive to enter in at the 
strait gate?' Luke xiii, 24. For 

'Strait is the way, the door is strait 

That leads to joys on high; 
'Tis but a few that find the gate, 

While crowds mistake and die. 

Beloved self must be denied, 

The mind and will renew'd; 
Passions suppressed, and patience tried, 

And vain desires subdued.' 

But surely thou wilt not 'feed upon husks' any 
longer! Come, then, and feast upon substantial 
food! Come and partake of the 'bread of life which 
cometh down from heaven.' John vi, S3. Come 
to the fountain of living waters, John iv, 14 and vii, 
38. Corae and receive 'wine and milk/ gospel 



AND GUARDIAN, 345 

grace and mercy, * without money and without 
price.' Is. lv, 1. 

♦Wherefore do ye spend money for that which Is 
not bread, and your labor for that which satisfieth 
not? Hearken diligently unto me, and cat ye that 
which is good, and let your soul delight itself in 
fatness. Incline your ear and come^unto me; hear 
and your soul shall live; and I will make an ever- 
lasting covenant with yau, even the sure mercies of 
David.' Is. lv, 2, 3, And the *Lord God will wipe 
off all tears from your faces,' and comfort your 
hearts, and 'give unto you beauty for ashes, the oil 
of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for 
the spirit of heaviness.' Is* I&i, 3, And ye shall 
say, 'lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, 
and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have wait- 
ed for him,' and 'we will be glad and rejoice in his 
salvation.' Is. xxv, 9. And what dost thou now 
say? What is the state of thy mind! Hast thou 
come to the Saviour? Or art thou 'sore, broken 
and disquieted in spirit,' and 'full of tossing to and 
fro,' and bowed down under a sense of thy guilt, 
and tortured by the most corroding fears? And 
dost thou weep and mourn in secret places, and do 
nhy eyes fail with looking upward,' and art thou 
afraid that thou shalt go all 'thy days in the bitter- 
ness of thy spirit/ and do thy sins rest upon thee 
Hke <a heavy burden, too grievous to be borne,' wt4 
Gl 



344. 

dost tliou pray from thy heart, 'Lord, save, o? I 
perish!' 'O Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for 
me?' Mat. viii, 25. Is. xxxviii, 14, 17. Saviour of 
sinners, I beseech thee to hear my prayer! O Lamb 
of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, 
have mercy upon me!' Then come to him just as 
thou art! Look not about thee — look not within — 
nor without, for any recommendation ! Accept his 
gracious invitation: 'come unto me, all ye that la- 
bour and are heavy laden, and I < will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I 
am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest 
unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my bur- 
den is light.* Mat. xi, 28, 30. And hear wha$/the 
Lord God says to thee by the mouth of his pro- 
phet: 'thus saith the high and lofty one that inhab- 
iteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the 
high and holy place, with him also who is of a con- 
trite and humble spirit, to revive the spirits of the 
humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.* 
Is. lvii, 15. And what more dost thou need? Are 
not 'all things ready ?' Luke xiv, 17. 'Only believe.* 
Mat. ix, 28. Luke viii, 50. Dost thou not pray, 
Lord, I would believe, 'remove thou my unbelief?* 
Mark ix, 24. 

'If drawn by thy alluring grace, 
My want of living faith I feel. 



AND GUARDIAN. 34S 

Show me in Christ thy smiling face, 
What flesh and blood can ne'er reveal, 

Thy co-eternal Son display, 

And speak my darkness into day.' 

Or, dost thou indulge in some vanity, or folly, or 
vain desire, or secret idol; some darling bosom sin? 
Is it not so? 

'Some cursed thing" unknown, 
Must surely lurk within; 
. Some idol which I will not own, 
Som,e secret bosom sin.' 

And 'if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will 
wot hear me.' Ps, Ixvi, 18. But canst thou not 

|>ray : 

'Thy call if I ever have known, 

And sigh'd from myself to get free, 
And groan'd the unspeakable groan, 

And long'd to be happy in thee; 
Fulfil the imperfect desire, 

Thy peace to my conscience reveal, 
The sense of thy favor inspire, 

And give me thy pardon to feel?' 

Oh ! canst thou not thus pray ? Dost thou not thus 
pfca) ?• Dost thou not come out of thyself, and cast 



340 christian's guids 

thyself upon the free mercy of God in Christ Jesus? 
Oh! canst thou not pray, Saviour 

*Behold me waiting in the way, 

For thee, the heavenly light; 
Command me to be brought, and say, 

S.inner— receive thy sight! 5 

'Receive thy sight, and go in peace!' 'Thy sins 
which were many, are all forgiven.' Luke xviii, 42 
and viii, 47. And canst thou not now say, '1 I'sten* 
ed, and heaven sprung up in my heart.' 3iut aqst 
thou mourn because thou canst not mourn, and 
grieve because thou canst not grieve? Know, then, 
that it is not the amount of thy distress that can 
procure peace/ The blood of Christ alone can speak 
peace to thy troubled conscience! Come to him, 
whether thy distress is great or little! Whatever 
brings thee to him is a great good/ Whatever keeps 
thee from him is a great evil/ Does he not say, 
'come unto me?' And should we not reply, 'lo, 
we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God?* 
What, then, is now the language of thy heart? 
Saviour of the sin-sick soul, to thee I come for rest! 
I recieve thee as my Redeemer— as the balm for 
every wound, and cordial for every fear— as my all- 
sufficient good— my ever-satisfying portion— for 
body and soul— for life and death — for time and for 
■eternity! We must now believe* at least we must 



A^D GUAHIHAtf. 847 

hope, that thou hast thus received the Saviour! 
And if so, thou canst say with one of old, 'I waited* 
patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, 
snd heard my cry. Me brought me up also out of 
an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet 
upon a rock, and established my goings. And he 
hath put a new song into my month, even praise 
unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall 

* Implying persevering importunity, according' 
with the injunction, ask — -seek — strive— knock! 
but more especially under the Christian dispensa- 
tion! Hence we read 'and from the clays of John 
the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suf- 
fered violence, and the violent take it by force.' 
Mat. xi, 12. And therefore, 'behold, now is the 
accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.' 
2 Cor. vi, 2. 'To-day, if ye will hear his voice, har- 
den not your hearts.' Meb. iv, 7. 

'Lord Jesus! help me now to flee, 
And seek my hope alone in thee; 
Apply thy blood, thy Spirit give- 
Subdue my sins and let me live.' 

Nor let us lose sight of our peculiar privilege3, 
under the Christian dispensation. To know that 
*\ve have passed from death unto life.' 1 John in, 
14» To 'know that we are of God, by the Spirit 
which lie hath given us-/ 1 John iii, 24; and to be 
able to say, that we have 'received the Spirit of 
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father: and that 
the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that 
we are the children of God.' Kom. viii, 15, 16. But 
let no one 'despise the day of small things/ See 
K \. 10. 

o3 



348 CHRISTIANAS GUIDE 

trust in the Lord.' Ps.xl, 1, 3. And thou canst 
give an invitation to others. 'Come and hear, all 
ye that fear God, and 1 will declare what he hath 
done For my soul I cried unto him with my mouth, 
and he was extolled with my tongue. If I regard 
iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 
but verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to 
the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God who hath 
not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from 
me.' Ps. Ixvi, 16,20. Read, also, the 103d and 
1 16th Psalms. And we particularly recommend to 
all who have but recently entered upon the path- 
way of eternal life, to pay very special attention to 
the most experimental and practical portions of the 
sacred scriptures. Such as the Lord's sermon on 
the Mount, comprised in the 5th, 6th and 7th chap- 
ters of the gospel by St. Matthew; from the 12th 
chapter of the Romans, to the conclusion-, from the 
12th chapter to the Hebrews, to the conclusion; 
and the 4th, 5th and 6th chapters, generally of the 
short epistles: with the books of Psalms and Pro- 
verbs, and the four gospels; and then to read the 
scriptures in order, with the best helps they can ob- 
tain. By pursuing this course, in due connexion 
with fervent prayer, meditation and self-examina- 
tion, and a diligent attendence upon the social and 
public means of grace and plain-dealing, in every 
sense of the expression* with all with whom the/ 



AND GTXARBIAtf. 349 

have intercourse; they will 'grow in grace, unci in 
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ.* 2 Peter in, 18. 

We must now close this chapter, with the Follow- 
ing additional directions. 

1st Look more at a settled and unwavering de- 
termination to be wholly devoted to the divine ser- 
vice, than to any particular frame of mind. 

2d. By all means cultivate a tender conscience! 
Distinguish between it and ascrupulous conscience. 
But whenever there is any doubt, it is infinitely 
best to be on the safe side! 'He that doubtcth is 
condemned.' Rom. xiv, 22. 

3d. Endeavor to set a good example yourselves! 
To high and low, rich and poor, professors and non- 
professors: follow none farther than they follow 
Christ! 

4th. Dread declension as you would dread to be 
encircled with the most envenomed monster! It is 
your duty and your privilege to go forward! 'As 
ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in 
him; rooted and built up in him, and established ia 
the faith, as ye have been taught, and abounding 
therein with thanksgiving.' See Col. ii, 6, 7, 2 
Peter i, 5, 10. Gal. vi, 9. Phil, ii, 12, 13 and iv, f. 
1 Thess. v, 16, 18.* 

* We would earnestly recommend to our young 
-Christian readers, and to every sincere inquirer, aa 
o4 



350 christian's guide 

5th. Be more intent upon doing* the will of your 
Lord and Master, who has done so much for you, than 
upon obtaining sensible enjoyments. Go and work 
in his vine-yard, and believe that he will bless you, 
and he will bless you ! 'While I am watering others/ 
said onef who is now is now in the eternal world, 
'Jehovah the spirit waters my own soul. ' 'You are 
now going to your reward,' said one minister to 
another, when his immortal spirit was about to wing 
its flight to-Paractise. 'No brother,' he£ replied, 
•the Lord has rewarded me all the way that I have 
travelled: and 1 shall enjoy heaven gratis.' He 
was a faithful § minister of Jesus Christ, and had 
long 'borne the burden and heat of the day/ 

6th. Be careful to distinguish between coldness 
and insensibility, and that heaviness which results 

excellent little wort, entitled, 'Advise to a Young 
Christian.' See, also, Bickersteth on the study of 
the scriptures. 

* See Mai. iii, 10. Markxiii,23, Luke i, 74,75. 
Johnxiv, 15. Rev.xxii, 14. 

f Rev. Thos. Spencer. 

4 Rev. Rankin. 

§ We would net be understood to imply, that a 
Christian can merit any thing! Far — far from it! 
But the Lord is graciously pleased to reward hi* 
people 'according to their w©rk«!' 



AND GUARDIAN. $51 

from manifold temptations. The former is a great 
«vil! Hence the poet,- 

'Whene'er becalm'd I lie, 

And storms and winds subside; 
Lord, to my succor fly, 

And keep me near thy side: 
Por more the treacherous calm I dread, 

Than tempests bursting o'er my head.* 

Village Hymns — hymn 400. 

But the latter is consistent with growth in grace! 
•That the trial of your faith, being much more pre- 
cious than of gold that perisheth, though it be 
fried with fire, might be found unto praise, and 
honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.' 
1 Peter i, 7. Do not, therefore, become weary and 
Faint in your minds — do not be discouraged by any 
of the difficulties and trials that you meet with in 
the way — do not yield to slavish fear, nor any of 
the suggestions of satan — do not look back upon 
the Egypt of this world — do not leave your first 
love, nor cease from your first works! * But having 
put your hand to the gospel plough, go forward, 
with your faces set like a flint towards the heavenly 
Canaan! Go forward, strong in the grace which is 
in Christ Jesus! Go forw ard, abounding more and 
more in every good word and work, and so shall ye 
receive the end of your faith, even the salvation of 
05 



your souls; and so shall an abundant entrance bs 
administered unto you into the everlasting kingdom 
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. See Heb. 
iv, 1 and xii, I. Luke ix, 62. 1 Peter i, 9 1 Cor. 
sv, 53. Rev. iij 4 and hi, 11. And may grace, 
mercy and peace be with you, from God our Fath- 
er, through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom, with 
the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, forever and 
ever — Amen. 

REDEMPTION HYMN. 

THE YOUNG CONVERT REJOICING— « RE- 
JOICING IN HOPE'— « A GOOD HOPE 
THROUGH GRACE/* 

JNow begin the heavenly theme, 

Sing aloud in Jesus' name! 
Ye who his salvation prove, 

Triumph in redeeming love. 



« 



We cannot but indulge the hope, that every 
cerious reader will become, if not already, an every- 
day student of the sacred scriptures. For our gra- 
cious Lord and Master enjoins upon us, not to read 
merel) , but to search the scriptures. And to every 
such student we would earnestly recommend, as 
an admirable groundwork for a course of biblical 
study, «Questions and Notes, critical and practical, 
upon the Book of Genesis; designed as a genera! 
&ilp to biblical instruction* ' By George Busk 



AND GT7ARDIA2C JSt 

Ye, who see the Father's grace— 

Beaming in the Saviour's face, 
As to Canaan on ye move, 

Praise and bless redeeming love* 

Mourning souls dry up your tears* 

Banish all your guilty fears? 
See your guilt and curse remove, 

Cancelled by redeeming love. 

Ye, alas! who long have been 

Willing slaves to death and sin$ 
Now from bliss no longer rove, 

Stop, and taste redeeming love* 

Welcome all, by sin opprest, 

Welcome to his sacred rest; 
Nothing brought him from above* 

Nothing but redeeming love* 

Hither, then, your music bring, 
Strike aloud each joyful string; 

Mortals join the hosts above- 
Join to praise redeeming love!* 



06 



PREFACE TO THE CHAPTER ON CHRIS- 
TIAN UNITY. 

The promotion of Qhristian unity without giv- 
ing 1 up any essential truth, and a faithful exposure 
of the fallacy and inconsistency of infidel objec- 
tions, with directions for sincere inquirers, and it will 
be clearly perceived,, comprise the general outlines 
of this work: but if we shall be so unhappy after all, 
as to appear to be unguarded, or unnecessarily se- 
vere in exposing" the artifices of ungodly men, or to 
be prejudiced in any one or more respects, we en- 
treat the reader to take into consideration the ex* 
treme difficulty of meeting so many different cases, 
views and feelings; and then to judge of the whole 
jn the light of christian charity. The whole has 
been gone through in a few weeks, instead of so 
many months or years! there may th-^e fore be. de- 
fects, deficiencies, or want of due conformity in 
the appointment and connection of chapters or de- 
tails. But we are not conscious of any essential 
mistake, eiror or defect for which neither the want 
of health nor time, nor peculiar circumstances., 
could be justly deemed a suitable or sufficient 
apology. A desire long cherished, to submit im- 
portant considerations to the Christian world more 
especially, and to the public gena#ft%, was the 
o7 



3BG eHRISTIAN^S GUIDE 

occasion under divine providence, of entering up- 
on the present work. And should it not be our 
heart's desire and prayer to God,' 'that men,' and 
still more, that Christians may 'pray every where/ 
"pray without ceasing 5 ' maintain the spirit of pray- 
er, and pray for the prosperity of Zion,' lifting up 
holy hands, without wrath and doubting-." 1 
Tim. ii, 8. Horn, x, 1. 1 Thes. v. 16. "that 
they may confess their faults one to another, and 
pray one for another:' James v, 15; that the peace 
of God may rule in their hearts, to which they are 
called:' Col. hi, 15, 'and that above all these things' 
(far beyond all other things) 'they may put on 
charity, which is the bond* of perfectness?' 
•'How else, could faith bear high my prayer, 
Up to thy thone my God my king to plead for par- 
don there?' 

* It has long appeared to us that every Chris- 
tian may be firmly attached to his o\\ n denomina- 
tion, and verily believe it, all things considered to 
be preferable to every other denomination, both 
with regard to doctrine, discipline and church gov- 
ernment; and yet be able to say, to Christians of 
every evangelical denomination, ye are my dearly 
beloved brethren, and ye are travelling with me, 
though under different names to the mansions of e- 
ternal glory! And therefore! say to you, goon 
and prosper, I wish you great success in the name 
of the Lord! May grace, mercy and peace, be 
with you from God our Father, through our Lord 
Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. 
—Amen. 



AND GUARDIAN. SS7 

And are we not all indebted more than ten 'thou- 
sand talents?' And shall we not forgive the man 
who owes us one hundred pence,' or 'have pa- 
tience with him till he can pay us all?' Matt, xviii 
23, 35. Can we then praj- from the heart, 
"Teach me to feel another's wo, 

To hide the fault I see: 
That mercy I to others shew, 
That mercy shew tome?" 
May the Lord guide us into all essential truth, — 
guard us in our progress through this world, be- 
stow upon us 'the continual dew of his blessing, 
and at length receive us into the Canaan of eternal 
felicity, through the merits and mediation of our 
only, but all-sufficient Saviour, to whom with the 
Father and the Holy Spirit, shall be all the glory 
forever and ever. Amen. 



CHAPTER IX. 



CHRISTIAN UNITY. 

One family we dwell in him: 
One church above, beneath; 

Though now divided by the stream, 
The narrow stream of death, 
oS 



33j8 cminsTiA^s quids 

©"ns s,fmy of the living God, 

To his commands we bow: 
Part of the host haye crossed tfoe flood, 

And part are crossing" now." 

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole fam- 
ily in heaven and eaith is named. 5 Eph. iii, 14, 15. 
Be 4 ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, 
and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and 
liath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice 
to God for a sweet smelling savour.' Eph. v, 1. 

And therefore, by natuiial consequence, "all 
bitterness, and wrath and anger and clamour, and 
evil speaking,' shall 'be put away from you, with 
all malice. And be ye kind one to another, ten- 
der-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God 
for Christ's sake has forgiven you.' Eph. iv, 31, 32. 
We also read, 'A new commandment \ give unto 
you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, 
that ye also love one another.' Ey this shall all 
men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have 
love one to an other.' John xih, 34, 25. 'If ye 
know these things.' (and ye do know these things) 
'happy are ye if ye do them.' John xiii, 17.* It 
must be evident, therefore, that Christian unity 
is inculcated and enforced by the highest authori- 
ty's— JSt the great kt&d of the ehurch, 'who is God 



AND GUARDIAN. 1.59 

over all, blessed forever/ And it 19 no less evident 
that he, their common Lord and master, has not 
contradistinguished them from each other. Thero 
is but one fold and one Shepherd. He has, indeed 
most nicely and justly, and for their sakes, contra- 
distinguished the lukewarm from the zealous, and 
all who have lost their first love/ Hev. ii, 4, from 
those "who have not defiled their garments.* Rev. 
iii, 4. And hence we read, «As many as I love I re- 
buke and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and re- 
pent.' Rev. iii, 19. And these things he declares' 
to us by his spirit — speaking through his written 
word. — And therefore, "He that hath an ear; let 
him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches.* 
Rev. ii, 29. We proceed, therefore to consider 
what is implied in Christian unity. The great out* 
lines are before us: love is the fulfUing of the law.' 
and this commandment have we from him, that ho 
that loveth God, loves his brother also.* Rom. xiii* 
10. 1 John iv, 21. It fellows that we have only 
to apply the rule, to whatever case may come be- 
fore iif, and we have endeavored to shew, that trua 
Christians, although they are distinguished by their 
own private or public marks or badges from each 
other, are, notwithstanding, virtually if not confes- 
sedly, united together by their reception of, and 
adherence to the essential doctrines and precept* 
•f the gospel! It must be obvious, therefore, is 



SGO •HRHTIAJf's «UID2t 

ffoe Itg'h of reason, as well as of revelation, that m 
this ail important respect, they do constitute, and 
should so consider themselves — as they are consti- 
tuted and considered, by the great Head of the 
church,) one family! Hence we infer that in what- 
ever relates to a family likeness! whatever is im- 
plied in a common family affection! whatever con- 
cerns family bonds! and whatever relates to family 
welfare, with due regard to the head of the family 
and all its members, that all this is naturally, neces- 
sarily, absolutely and forever implied in Christian 
unity ? This we now see — we now know — we now 
feel while the light of divine truth flashes with the 
most vivid and powerful conviction upon our minds, 
Let us therefore, under its benign influence, bow, 
-with the deepest humiliation and contrition, before 
the throne of grace and mercy, that we may obtain 
mercy, and find grace to help us in this and every 
time of need! Our father, who art the God of 
truth, adorable Saviour, who didst declare and bear 
witness to the truth, and Holy Spirit of truth, who 
dost guide us into all essential truth: Triune Deity! 
we beseech thee in sincerity and truth, and with 
all our hearts and minds, to unite us to thyself and 
each other, by all the bonds of family likeness! by 
vhatever should distinguish thy people from the 
u orldj by whatever relates to our common welfare, 
and by whatever constitutes the holy and happy 



AND GtJARDIAK. $61 

Union between us and out* living head! that we may 
maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, 
that we may prove to all around us, and to the 
whole world, the unutterable excellence, and holi- 
ness, and happiness of the Christian religion! and 
that we may grow up into Christ our living head in 
all things, and to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 
shall be all the glory, forever and ever. Amen.* 

And now let us walk in the light of the truthj by 
which we are made free— John viii, 32, that we 
may 'have a good report of all men, and of the truth 
itself.' 3 John i, 12, and so be enabled to bear 
witness to the truth' with all the force and suasion 
of Christian charity and moral demonstration. And 
that we may not labour under any misapprehension, 
let us view the different aspects of the world, in all 
its private, domestic, social and public bearing?, 
and all -with due reference to general principles. 

I. The individuals that compose a family, though 
distinguished from each other by certain peculiar- 
ities, or in different respects, have one common 

* We would recommend to the reader 'The 
Church Member's Guide,' by Rev. J, James, as 
comprising a valuable compendium of the duties of 
Christians toward each other, and of the churches 
and ministers respectively: The want of such a 
work was long experienced, and it was justly 
deemed a desideratum! We infer, therefore, that 
it would be a valuable acquisition to every Chris- 
tian and Christian minister. 



863 christian's gvwz 

bond of union, and one general* family resetn* 
blance! Hence their attachment to each other, 
until, or unless they should be separated from each 
other by the demarkation of virtue and vice,the e- 
ternal contrast between good and bad principles! 
For until such a separaiion takes place — a separa- 
tion, we all knew, which is always to be depreca- 
ted — they clearly perceive*-they well know that 
they have a common bond of union, to which they 
shail adhere, to which it is for their mutual interest 
to adhere; and that they have general principles, 
by which to be guided, although they should dif- 
fer from each other with regard to modes, habits, 
forms and dissimilar opinions, upon subordinate or 
immaterial points. This, it would appear to us, is 
not likely to be controverted. And we need no$ 
therefore deduce a single inference from principles 
so obvious to the understanding. 

II. Whole communities in different countries, 
and even in the same country, are in a variety of 
respects, distinguished from each other; yet there 
are common principles, by which mutual trade so- 
cial intercourse, &c. are regulated, and peace 
and harmony maintained. 

IU. We are living under a constitution, framed 
by wise and patriotic men, which comprises gen- 
eral principles of a social, federal, commercial and 
political character: and we not only clearly per* 
«eive,but we also know from experience, what » 



AND GtXARDIAff. 863 

bfcnd of union they involve! And should we not 
shudder at the very thought of its dissolution? 
And should we not, would we not make any sac- 
rifice to prevent it? Let us look at our peculiar 
privileges and unequalled blessings! — A modern 
Canaan, 'a land flowing* with milk and honey?' 'ev- 
ery man sitting- under his own vine and his own fig 
tree, and none to make us afr&itf!' No tyra^jical 
scourge — no dread of confiscation — no political 
thraldom— no moral or ecclesiastical coercion! 
'Truly the lines have fallen to us in pleasant places; 
yea we have a goodly heritage!" Americans! hap- 
py people! a people highly favored of the Lord! 
'The glory of all lands)' affording an asylum for 
the oppressed of all nations! a concentrated nation- 
al, political, and moral beacon to the whole world! 
And what does heaven require at your hands? 
And what does gratitude demand?, The tribute of 
a grateful heart, sobriety and temperance in all 
things — the morning' and evening incense of prayer 
and praise; the universal diffusion of intelligence 
and virtue; the maintenance of 'unity, peace and 
concord' — the continual promotion of pure and un- 
defined religion* and the experimental confirma- 
tion, and declaration beyond a doubt that right- 
eousness hath exalted the nation, and that you have 
excluded and repelled, with holy indignation all 
that sin which is a reproach to any people! And 



164 

how much more would it be so to the most nighty- 
favored people in the world? 

Christians! we again turn to you, because we ex- 
pect much from you, as the followers of the great 
Peacemaker, who came and preached peace to you 
who were afar off, and to them that were nigh 5* 
Eph. ii, 17; and who is most assuredly and em- 
phatically, *Our peace,' if we do indeed believe 
on him with the heart unto righteousness, and with 
the mouth make confession unto salvation! Eph. 
ii. 14. Rom. x, 10. And 'blessed are the peace- 
makers; for they shall be called the children of 
God.' Matt. v. 9. 

'Blest are the sons of peace, 

Whose hearts and hopes are one; 
Whose kind designs to serve and please 

Through all their actions run.' 
And 'ye are the light of the world — A city that 
is set on a hill cannot be hid.' Matt. v. 14. And 
therefore, "Let your light so shine before men, 
that they may see your good works, and glorify 
your Father who is in heaven.' Mat. v. 16. And 
so 'show forth his praises who hath called you out 
of darkness into his marvellous light,' 1 Peter ii, 9, 
the light of the knowledge of his glory shining 
upon you in the face of Jesus Christ/ 2 Cor. ir. 6, 
till you are transformed into his glorious image till 
you have in you all the mind that was in him — till 



AND GUARDIAN. 3G5 

you are conformed to his will and word in all things. 
2 Cor. iii, 18. And hence it must be evident to us 
that we should not say <Lo here ! or lo there!' 
Matt, xxiv, 23. For the kingdom of God consist- 
ed not in "meat and drink," or in any thing ex- 
ternal,— but in righteousness and peace and joy 
in the Holy Ghost.' Rom. xiv, 17. And it must 
be equally evident to us, that one should not say, 
"I am of Paul; and another, and I of Apollos; and 
another, and I of Cephas:' For ye all belong to 
Christ — 'ye are all the children of God through 
faith in Christ Jesus, 1 Cor. i, 12. Gal. iii, 26, 29. 
Ye should, indeed, "be fully persuaded in your 
own mind.' Rom. xiv. 5. Ye need not be latitudi- 
imrians! But ye all have general principles; ye all 
have common ground, ye all have heights and 
depths, and lengths and breadths of wisdom and 
knowledge for a common stock! And therefore, 
love as brethren; be pitiful; be courteous: not 
rendering eyil for evil, or railing for railing; but 
contrariwise, blessing, knowing that ye are there" 
unto .called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 
, 1 Peter iii, 8, 9. And we exhort you, brethren to 
render *honer to whom honor' is due, 'in honor 
preferring one another,' and to obey them that 
have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for 
they watch for your souls, as they that must give 
Account; that they may do it with joy and not with 



366 christian's guide 

grief, for that is unprofitable for you. Heb. xiii, 1/% 
'And we beseech you, brethren, to know them,' (to 
become particularly acquainted with them) 'who 
labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, 
and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly 
in love for their works' sake; And be at peace a- 
mong yourselves.' 1 Thes. v. 12, 13. And him 
that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to 
doubtful disputations/ not so as to occasion doubt- 
ful disputations; 'For one believeth that he may eat 
all things: another who is weak eateth herbs. Let 
not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; 
and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eat- 
eth: for God hath received him. Who art thou 
that judgest another man's servant? To his own 
master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be 
holden up; for God is able to make him stand. One 
man esteemeth one day above another: another es- 
teemeih every day alike.* Let every man be fully 
persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth 
the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that 

* The apostle alludes to the Jewish feasts, holy 
days, new moons, &c. all of which were peculiar 
to the Mosaic dispensation: and not to the Chris-. 
tian Sabbath, nor to the original institution of the 
Sabbath which forms a part of the moral decalogue, 
and the observance of which is so often and so 
solemnly enjoined upon us. Horn, xiv, 5. Col. ii 
16, and now see Geti. ii, 3; Ex. xvi, 26 and xx, 8» 
11 5 Is. lviii 13; Ez. xxii, 8; 1 Cor. xvi, 2. 



an£> guardian. 367 

i'^ahklh not the day, to the Lord lie doth not re- 
gard it. He that eateth,, eateth to the Lord; for 
he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to 
the lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks; for 
none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to 
himself. For whether we live, we live unto the 
Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: 
whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the 
Lords. ' 'Let not then your good be evil spoken 
of.' But 'follow after the things which make for 
peace, and things wherewith we may edify one ano- 
ther. Rom. xiv, 1, 19. 1 Cor. 8, 13. 

And let us, therefore, 'warn them that are un- 
ruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak 
and be patient towards all men,' And 'see that 
none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever 
follow that which is good, both among yourselves 
and to all men. 1 Thes. v. 14, 15. Thus walking 
in love towands each other— even as Christ loved 
us, and gave himself for us. Eph. v. 2. And, 
'Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who 
are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of 
meakness, considering thyself, lest thou also be 
tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so 
fulfil the law of Christ. Gal. vi, 1, 2. And 're- 
joice with them that do rejoice, and weep with 
them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward 
another/ And 'recompence to no man evil for e- 



48S christian's stjidh 

til. And 'if it be possible/ or 'as much as lieth in 
you, live peaceably with all men,' Rom. xii 15, 18& 
And 'speak evil of no man.' — Titus iii 2. 'More- 
over, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go 
and tell him his fault, between thee and him alone 5 
if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother* 
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee 
one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three 
witnesses every word may be established* And if 
he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the 
church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let 
him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publi* 
can.' Let him be unto thee like any other man* 
he is still thy neighbor, Matt xviii, 15, 17. 'There* 
fore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst 
give him drink? for in so doing thou shalt heap 
coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome of 
evil, but overcome evil with good. Korn. xii, 2C, 
21. 'Furthermore; we beseech you, brethren* 
and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye nave 
received of us* (the great apostle of the gentiles \$ 
thus instructing us,) 'how ye ought to walk and 
please God, so ye would abound more and more." 
1 Thes. iv, 1. And the Lord make you to increase 
and abound in love one toward another, and to- 
ward all men;' 1 Thess. iii, 12; and therefore 
We should pray and labour 'in season and out of 
Reason, * for the universal spread of the gospel for 



AND GtfARDtAff. 669 

the emancipation of the whole world from more 
than Egyptian bondage — for the ingathering of the 
Jews with the fulness of the Gentiles for the man^ 
ifestation of that exceedingly great and precious 
promise, 'Lhe earth shall be filled with the knowl* 
edge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover 
the sea.' Hab. ii, 14. Horn, xi, 25. 1 Tim. ii, 1* 
Is. Ix, 3, 5. Aud then, (what a great and glori- 
ous consummation!) 'they shall not teach every man 
his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 
know ye the Lord: for all shall know me, from the 
least to the greatest.' Heb. viii,ll. 

'We then, as workers together with him, be- 
seech you also, that ye receive not the grace of 
God in vain; 2 Cor. vi, 1; that ye excite one ano« 
ther to love and good works— Heb. x, 24, that ye 
may bring forth fruit with patience; Luke viii, 15; 
yea, that ye may be 'filled with the fruits of right- 
eousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glo* 
rv and praise of God, Phil, i, 11, that ye may grow 
in grace and knowledge, 2 Peter, iii. 16; that ye 
may be followers of them, who through faith and 
patience inherit the promises/ Heb. vi, 12; that ye 
maybe followers of them in every work of faith, 
and in all the patience of hope and labour of love, 
1 Thess. i, 3; that ye may not become weary and 
faint in your minds, Heb. xii, 3; but 'be steadfast, 
immoveable, always abounding in the work of ths 



370 christian's guide 

Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour if 
not in vain in the Lord;' 1 Cor. xv. 58; that in due 
season we shall reap if we faint not;' Gal. vi 9; 
that 'every man shall receive his own reward ac- 
cording to his own labour,' 1 Cor. iii^ 8; that •he 
that winneth souls is wise,' Prov. 11, 30; and that 
"they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of 
the firmament, and they that turn many to right- 
eousness, as the stars forever and ever.' Dan. xii, 3. 
'Let us, therefore, thus prove our faith by our 
works, that by our works our faith may be made 
perfect; for as the body without the spirit is dead, 
so faith without works is dead also.' James ii; 22, 
26. And let us work out our own salvation with 
fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in 
us to wili and do of his good pleasure.' Phil, ii, 12. 
And the peace of God, which passeth all under- 
standing, shall keep your hearts and minds through 
Christ Jesus. 

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, 
whatsoever things are hqnest, whatsoever things 
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever 
things are lovely, whatsoever tilings are of good re- 
port; if there be any virtue, and if there be any 
praise, think on these things. The things which 
ye have both learned, and received, and heard, do: 
and the God of peace shall be with you.' Phil, iv, 
S 9 9. 'Now the God of Peace that brought again 



AND GtTARDlAN- 371 

from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shep* 
herd of the sheep, thro' the blood of the everlast- 
ing covenant, make you perfect in every good 
work to do his will, working in you that which is 
well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to 
whom be glory forever and ever. — Amen. Grace 
be with you all.-*- Amen. Heb. xiii, 20, 25. 

TUft PPvAYEn OF CHRISTIAN FAITH* 
HOPE AND CHARITY* 

Almirht* and eternal God* the God and Father 
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, of whom the 
whole family in heaven and earth is named; we 
would approach thee with filial affection and Godly 
fear, as thy children by adoption and grace! Thou 
Wast mindful of us in our low estate* when we were 
dead in trespasses and in sins, and were far from 
thee by wicked works; hut thou didst l?)' help ort 
one that is mighty to save; and now, in Christ Jesus, 
we who were once afar off, are brought nigh to 
thee by the blood of his cross; and have boldness 
and access, with confidence, through faith which is 
in him. Through him we have been enabled to 
believe with the heart unto righteousness, and to 
make confession with the mouth unto salvation. 
And we now approach to thee through him, as our 
prophet, priest and king—as the way, the truth 



372 

and the life— as our risen and highly exalted Sa» 
viour, who sitteth at the right hand of the majesty 
in heaven, and forever liveth to make intercession 
for us. And we believe that for his righteousness* 
sake thou art pleased to hear and answer our un- 
worthy petitions; that he has magnified the law and 
made it honorable; and that thou art both a just 
God and a Saviour, that thou canst be just and yet 
the justiikr 0/ sinners Who believe in Jesus; and 
that thou art able and willing-lo" save to the utter- 
most all that come unto thee through him! And 
we now rejoice in hope of thy glory; and which 
hope maketh us not ashamed, because th}' love is 
shed abroad in our hearts, by the Iloly Ghost which 
thou hast given unto us. And we feel assured that 
it is agOod hope through grace; and we beseech 
thee, our heavenly Father, to increase our faith, 
and confirm our hope; that we may through a strong 
faith glorify thee in all things; believing that thou 
wilt make all things work together for our good; that 
thou wilt accomplish in us all the good pleasure of 
thy goodness, and the work of faith with power; 
and that our hope shall be to us a hope full of im- 
mortality and everlasting life; that we may with one 
mind and one mouth glorify thee through our Lord 
Jesus Christ. But above all, we humbly beseech 
thee, to unite us to thyself and to each other, by 
the bonds of Christian charity, that charity which. 



AND GUARDIAN. $73 

K>at] never fail, and which beareth all things, be- 
licveth a;l thing's, hopeth air thing's, endureth all 
things: that we may love thee with all our hearts, 
and serve thee with all our strength; that we may 
he of one heart and one mind, striving together for 
the faith or" the gospel; that we may love as breth- 
; e pitiful, Courteous, easily entreated, showing 
all -meekness unto ali men; that our light may so 
shine before others, that they seeing our good 
works, may glorify thee our Father who art in 
heaven; that we may thus glorify thee in our bodies 
and spirits, which are thine by creation and redemp- 
tion; and that we may blend the wisdom of the 
serpent with the harmlessness of the dove, and 
adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; 
and that all our thoughts, words and actions, may 
be a continual sacrifice to thy service, holy and ac- 
ceptable, through the merits and mediation of our 
infinitely gracious and compassionate Saviour, who 
gave himself for our sins, that he might redeem us 
from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar 
people zealous of good works: and to whom with 
the Father, who so loved us, as not to spare his well 
beloved Son, but delivered him up for us all; and 
to the Holy Spirit of all truth, our enlightener, and 
comforter, and sanctiiier: to the Triune Deity we 
will ascribe glory and srajesty 4 dominion and power, 
both now and forever — Amen* 



ST4 eaRtSTiAJf^S GU1DM 



UNITY RYMN. 

*ror ye are all the children of God, by faith m 
Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been 
baptized into Christ, have put on Christ* Thera 
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond 
taor free, there is neither male nor female; fory* 
are all one in Christ Jesus.* Gah iii, 26, 28, 

'Let party names no more 

The Christian world o'erspreatl: 

Gentile and Je\v y and bond and free* 
Are one in Christ their head* 

Among the saints on earth, 

Let mutual love be founds 
Heirs of the same inheritance, 

With mutual blessings crovvnM* 

Let envy and ill-will, 

Be banish'd far away; 
And all in Christian bonds unite, 

Who the same Lord obey. 

Thus will the church below 

Resemble that above? 
Where no discordant sounds are heard> 

But all is peace and love.' 



CHAPTER X. 



eiHllSTlAN DUTIES, PRIVILEGES AN£* 
UESPONSlBiLITYi GENERAL EXOilDiUM* 

'So let our lips and lives express 

The holy gospel we profess; 
So let our- works and virtues shine,. 

To prove the doctrine all divine. * 

*Tkr vows are upon me> O God: I will render 
liaises, unto thee. s Ps. lvi, 12,. 

K) Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall 
show forth thy praise.' Ps. li, 15. 

'Whoso offereth praise gloriiieth me; and to him 
that ordereth his conversation aright will I show 
the salvation of God/ Ps. 1, 23. 

The sacrifices of Qod are a broken, spirit: a bro-* 
ten and a contrite heart,. O God, thou wilt not 
despise.' Ps. li, 17*. 

'For the grace of God that bringeth salvation* 
Jiath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denving 
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live so* 
lierly* righteously and godly* in this present world; 



376 christian's guide 

looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious ap- 
pearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus 
Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might re* 
deem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself 
a peculiar people, zealous of good works.' Titus ii, 
12, 15. 

What important duties, then, devolve upon Chris-. 
tians! and with what great and precious privileges* 
they are favored, and by natural consequence, 
how great is their responsibility! Yet, each duty, 
rightly performed, will prove to be a privilege- 
will prove to be infinitely more than its own reward, 
and productive of the happiest effects! Do we be- 
lieve this? Do we believe that 'God is faithful,* 
that 'he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him' 
— that 'he will withhold no good thing from them 
that walk uprightly?' For he that cometh to Go:i 
must believe, that 'he is the rewarder of them that 
diligently seek him;' that 'seek him with their whdU 
heart,' and 'delight to do his commandments!' The, 
Psalmist could say, 'with my whole heart have i 
sought thee: O let me not wander from thy com- 
mandments.' And 'I will delight myself in thy 
commandments/ and again, «I will delight myself 
in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Thy 
word have I hid in my heart, that^I may not sii* 



* See I John i, 3, and m, 2. Heb. 



xn, W, 



AND GUARDIAN. 371F 

against thee/ But the question recurs; do we t>c~ 
lieve all this? We must never — never lose sight of 
this question/ If it makes us uneasy, it is because 
we do not believe! But should we, therefore, 
shrink back from the truth, and not come to the 
touchstone of the lively oracles? 'God forbid!'— - 
Rather let us say with Job, 'though he slay me, yet 
will I trust in him;' and with the evangelical pro- 
phet, 'trust ye in the Lord forever;' and with David, 
'what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.' And 
if so, thou shalt not 'be afraid of evil tidings; but 
thy heart shall be steadfast, trusting in the Lord.' 
And thou shalt not exclaim, 'there is a lion in the 
way — a lion is in the streets!' But art thou still 'of 
doubtful mind ?' If so, 'how is it that ye have no 
faith?' Or is thy faith very weak? But why are 
ye so fearful or faithless, and why do strange or 
misgiving 'thoughts arise in your mind?' 'O thou 
of little faith, wherefore dost thou doubt?' What 
dost thou need? The 'wisdom that is profitable to 
direct?' 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of 
God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraid- 
eth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask 
in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth, 
is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, and 
tossed. And let not that man think that he shall 
receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded 
?nan is unstable in all his wavs:' drawn hither and 



37S 

thither, to and fro, having no fixed object, and n<» 
determinate motion or effort! But 'whatsoever ye 
shall ask in faith/ (in accordance with the divine 
will and word,) ye shall receive.' 'Believest thou 
that I can do this for thee ?' If so, 'according to thy 
faith, it shall bo done unto thee.' 

But the question again returns: 'Do we believe* 
all this? If not, how shall we address ourselves to 
the duties that lie before us? How shall we honor 
the Lord our God, the faithful and covenant -keep^ 
ing and promise-performing God? O Lord our 
God, we now look to thee! Give us that prepara^ 
tion of the heart, and that answer of the tongue, 
which come from thee! Incline us to call upon 
thy name ! 'Increase our faith,' and so prepare us 

* Mutual confidence, it is well known, is one of 
the strongest bonds of society. And when a relar 
tive, or neighbor, or friend, has given us his word, 
(we do not say his pledge or his oath,) to do any 
thing for us; and he afterwards learns, either from 
ourselves or others, that we are uneasy on account 
of the business which we entrusted to him; oh! 
with what a shock it comes upon his feelings? 
What! distrust my word ? Was I ever known to 
deceive or disapoint any person who confided in 
me? Well, this is what I could not have expected! 
And wilt thou, then, O man! (for we only invert 
the order of the case,) wilt thou distrust thy Maker, 
who has not only given us his word, but signed and 
sealed it, with reiterated promises* and oaths % unci 
hlood? 



AND GUARDIAN. 378 

for the discharge of every duty, that it may be to 
us an unspeakable privilege, which we ask through 
the merits and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 

Let us now consider our duties and our privi- 
leges, that we may have a clear perception of our 
responsibility; and 'let us excite one another to love 
and good works.' 



SECTION I . 

OUR PRIVATE DEVOTIONS. 

1st. Let us begin the day with God. 'My voice 
shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morn- 
ing will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look 
up.' Ps. v, 3. Oh! blessed be thy name, that I am 
permitted to behold the light of another day! 'The 
blessing of another day I thankfully receive!' Oh! 
my Father, my God, my light, my life, my ever- 
lasting all! Hook up to thee! Unite my heart to 
fear thy name! Oh! preserve me from sinning 
against thee, and guide and guard me continually, 
through the all prevailing merits of my adorable 
Redeemer. Amen. 

Let us now look at the example of our Lord and 
Master. «And in the morning, rising up a great 
Pi 



379 CHHISTIAys GUIDE 

while before day, he went out, anddeparted info 1 
a solitary place, and there prayed.* Mark i, 35, 

'My lovely Jesus, while on earth, 

Arose before 'twas day; 
And to a solitary place 

Departed, there to pray. 

I'll do as did my blessed Lord-* 

His footsteps I will trace; 
I love to meet him in the grove, 

And view his smiling face. 

Early I'll rise, and sing and pray, 

While I the light enjoy; 
May this blest work, from day to day , 

My heart and tongue employ. ' 

And that I may be enabled to say, 'in the multitude 
of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my 
soul.' And 'how precious also are thy thoughts 
unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them* 
If I should count them, they are more in number 
than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 9 
See Ps. xciv, 19 and cxxxix, 17, 18. 

2d. 'Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day 
long.' Pray to him to 'uphold thy goings in his 
path, that thy footsteps slide not.* 'Show me thy 
wa}%, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in 
thy truth, and teach met for thou art the Cod of my 



AMD d-tURMAff. ISO 

Caltfailoti; on thee do I wait all the day. t wait for* 
the Lord, my soli! doth wait, and in his word do 
1 hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than 
ihey that watch fbf the morning; 1 s\y, more than 
they that watch I'ov the morning-.' Bee Ps. xxv^ 5, 
cxxx, 5,6, and cxun, 10. 

3d. Retire eafly for closet exercises: any retired 
place! 'Isaac went out to meditate in the fields a! 
even-tide. '"* And should we not pray* 'let my 
prayer he set forth before thee as incense, and the' 
lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice?' 
And thus you will be, through divine grace, pre- 
pared for family exercises, and for closing the day$ 
«nd be able to say, *I will both lay me down in 
peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only rriakest me 
dwell in safety. * Ps. iv. 0. And thus continue to 
begin, go through, and end every dpy* in the fear, 
and love, and service of your Lord and Master! 
And thus you Will imitate David* Datiiel and many 
others! Is this, then, the language of your heart: 
♦evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and 
cry aloud; and he shall hear my voice? 3 And if 
you thus spend every day, j" and thus retire to your 
couch; you may expect to wake with youv first 
thoughts to the Lord, and to the remembrance of 

* See supplementary note, 1. 
f See Daniel vi, 10. @ol. iv,2. Kph. vi, l& 
*3 



381 christian's guide 

his name, and to pray to him, like one of old; 
'cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morn- 
ing; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the 
way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my s:)ul 
unto thee. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art 
mf God; thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land 
of uprightness.' 

'Come, gracious Spirit, source of love, 
With light and comfort from above; 

Be thou our Guardian, thou our Guide; 
O'er every thought and step preside.' 

SECTION II. 

FAMILY PRAYER. THE CHRISTIAN'S DO- 
MESTIC BETHEL! A PORTICO LEADING 
TO HEAVEN! A DELIGHTFUL PATII^ 
WAY FOR PARENTS, CHILDREN AND 
SERVANTS! 

'How shall I walk my God to please, 
And spread content and happiness 
O'er all beneath my care? 

A pattern to my house-hold give. 
And as a guardian angel live, 
As Jesus' messenger?'- 



AND GUARDIAN. 382 

♦Unite the pair so long disjoined, 
Knowledge and vital piety: 
Learning* and happiness coinbin'd, 
And truth and love let all men see.' 

'Chose you this day whom ye will serve; but as 
for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' Josh, 
xxiv, 15, 

«Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart 
and in your soul, and bind them up for a sign upon 
your hand, that they may be as a frontlet between 
your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, 
speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, 
and when thou walkest by the Way, when thou 
liest down, and when thou risest up.' Deut. xi, 11, 
19. 

JLtUimportant injunction! Hence, under the 
Mosaic dispensation, which pre-figured the Chris- 
tian dispensation, there was a continual burnt-offer- 
ing, every morning and every evening' See Exodus 
xxix, 38, 46. Luke i, 9, 10. And shall not Chris- 
tians offer to God, upon the domestic altar, the morn- 
ing and evening sacrifice of prayer and praise? Do 
they not hear and regard the solemn and prophetic 
denunciation: *Pour out thy fury upon the heathen 
that know thee not, and upon the families that call 
not upon thy name?* Jer. x, 25. Surely they will 
not live in the neglect of a duty so emphatically 

?3 



$£$ CHRISTIAN^ G-UIDS? 

Important, and involving" so many, and weighty, 
and overwhelming considerations! Jftfiey caukJ^ H 
purely Ufys v$r<j stones would cry cuif* 

* Hie mast exemplary Christians have been e%% 
emplary with regard to family prayer, as well as iq 
all other respects; nay, more, they very justly laid 
a very peculiar stress upon domestic worshipl \V$ 
might refer to many distinguished examples, such 
as Dr. Doddridge, I)r. Adam Clark, Cecil, Ncwton 4 
Jay, Scott, &c. &c, And how can we expeGt ft m 
ily blessings, if we neglect family prayer? And 
we should, most assuredly, be as careful to distil 
guish between private and family worship, as wo 
are to distinguish between family worship and the 
public ordinances of 'religion / This should be done t 
and the other should not be. I eft undone' The Rev. T. 
Scott had the unspeakable gratification of being 
able to say, that every individual in his house-hold 
was hopefully converted; and it was principally at* 
tributed, under divine providence, to his faithful 
and persevering discharge of all his domestic duties. 
He was instant in season and out of season, in the 
family, as well as in the church! Js[o consideration, 
short of absolute necessity, could induce him tq 
omit either morning or evening worship, fiis mot- 
to appeared 10 be, that the world should always 
bow to religion! and that religion should nevcr- 
never-^-never bow to the world! Surely it cannot 
be too much to devote a f^w minutes to family 
worship every morning and exery evening! <The 
blessing of God-r-thai maketb rich!' Consider, too s 
how much time is often lost, or worse than lost, in 
light and useless conversation! In short, therq 
does not appear tobeanv excuse, short of absolute 
necessity ! Let C hristians discharge a] 1 the i f QM ti e% 
%$d fte kpr4 will provide for them. 



AND GUARDIAN 3S4 

The following intimations on this important sub- 
ject may not be deemed improper: 

1st , That it would be well to have family worship 
some time before breakfast, that all the members 
of the family might enjoy r th«s common benefit^ - 
after breakfast it might be difficult to collect them 
together. 

2d. That it would be prudential, and more in- 
strumental to education, to have family worship at 
an early hour in the evening, or soon after early 
supper, which is a^so considered beneficial, than at 
a later hour, when some of the membeis of the 
family might be sleepy or over-fatigued, and by 
natural consequence, so much less prepared to 
unite in solemn services. 

3d. It has been often remarked, that prayers ara 
generally too long; and that young persons and 
domestics often become wearied. It would appear, 
therefore, that a comparatively short service would 
be more adapted to our mutual edification. , We 
need not go from one extreme to another, or convey 
the idea of haste or hurry! 

4th. A careful adaptation of services to times 
and seasons, and remarkable occasions, either of 
a prosperous or afflictive character, for all of which 
the sacred scriptures furnish us with an abundant 
variety; might, under the divine blessings prove t.» 

p4 



385 

be highly interesting and instructive, and greatly 
promote our spiritual improvement. 

5th. It would also appear, that we should never 
omit reading a portion of the holy bible! When 
we are really pressed for time, it might be sufficient 
to read six, or eight, or ten verses. They would 
serve as the ground-work for profitable meditation . 
So that, while 'diligent in business,' we might be 
also, 'fervent in spirit, serving the Lord/ 

6th. It does not appear, that it is necessary to 
comprise a variety in every prayer, as though it 
could not otherwise be a prayer; which appears to 
be the mistake of some good men. There are 
some things, indeed, which should never be omit- 
ted: 'we behold the light of another day,' and 'we 
have all things richly to enjoy,' &c. But there are 
many things of a general or more public character, 
which might, with the greatest propriety, be in- 
cluded at different * times and on different occa- 
sions. 

* It is the opinion of many good men, that prayers 
in social and public meetings, are generally too 
long, and leave too little time for other exercises, 
and occasion many repetitions. Yet, as prayer is 
a good thing; so the mind should not be drawn 
from it, though concious at the very time of the 
importance of a due attention to some other exer- 
cise, and to which the attention might have been 
previously directed ! But these things v/e mention 
for our mutual edification, and that 'we may wait 
upon the Lord without distraction,' 



AND 0t?ARDIAS. $&$ 

7th.. In this age of the commencement of Chris- 
tian philanthropy, after the long and death-Ilk* 
slumber of ages, with a feivv rare exceptions, it 
would indeed appear, that every Christian should 
be broad-awake to every Christian enterprise, and 
shouU, therefore, evince the same in due time and 
place, -by his family and social prayers, as well as 
in all other respects! 'Out of the abundance of 
the heart the mouth speaketh.* Mat. xii, 34. 1 
Cor.xi, 1. Mat. v, 16. " 

8th. There can be no doubt, that every service 
should be deeply serious, interesting* and impres- 
sive; and when possible, should be preceded and 
followed by a pause of some lengfn! An abrupt 
transition from common things to things of the 
greatest importance, appears to imply a want of 
serious consideration, and of due reverence to that 
great and glorious Being who inhabits eternity. and 
fills immensity, and requires of us to approach him 
with 'reverence and godly* fear,' and to 'worship 
him in spirit and in truth,' and 'in the beauty of 
Holiness.' JL,et us, therefore, take heed to these 
things an( l « s ti r up our minds by way of remem- 
brance,' 'that we may be found of him in peace, 
without spot and blameless.' 

* See 1 Cor. vii, 35, and xiv,40. Heb. xii, 23* 
f5 



3S7 



SECTION III . 
PUBLIC WORSHIP. 

'Welcome, sweet day of rest. 

That saw the Lord arise; 
Welcome to this reviving breast, 

And tlr** c rejoicing eyes. 

The King- himself comes near, 

And feasts his saints to-day, 
Here we may sit, and see him here. 

And love, and praise, and pray. 5 

'I was glad when they said unto me, let us go 
into the house of the Lord.' Ps. cxxii, 1. 

'We have thought of the loving-kindness, O God, 
in the midst of thy temple.' Ps. xlviii, 9. 

'How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of 
hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the 
courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth 
out for the living God. For a day in thy courts is 
better than a thousand. I had rather be a door- 
keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the 
tents of wickendess.' See Ps. 84. 

'Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves to-, 
gether as the manner of some is; but exhorting one 
another: and so much the more, as ye see the daj 
approaching.' Heb. x, 25. 



ANB GUARDIAN. ^88 

It must be evident, therefore, that it i a g' e^t 
privilege, as well as a special duty, to regularly at- 
tend the ordinances of divine appointment. Hence 
the Psalmist prayed, and hence we should pray, 'Q 
send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me, 
let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy 
tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of Got* 
, — unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp 
will I praise thee, O God, my God.' Ps. xliii, 3. 
Hence we are assured, that it is a great sin to ne- 
glect the 'assembling of ourselves together.' And 
yet how many have been guilty of this sin, under 
path the Old and New Testament dispensations! 'Ye 
have said, it is vain to serve God; and what profit is 
It that we have kept his ordinances, and that we 
have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? 1 
jbtailj hi, 14. 'Even from the days of your fathers 
ye have gone away from my ordinances, and have 
jiot kept them.' Mai. iii, 7. And hence we read, 
^return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith 
the Lord of hosts.' Mai. iii, 7. It is evident, there- 
fore, that to neglect the divine ordinances, is to 
depart from the Lord: and that if we would obtain 
his favor, we must frequent the place where his 
name is recorded, and where his honor dwelleth, 
;uid where he has promised to meet with and bless 
his people. For, saith God, 'in all places where I 
record my name, I will come unto thee, and I wMI 
x>6 



35$ CHRISTIANS 6t/I$3 

bless thee.' Ex, xx, 24, And we are alio assured, 
that nhey that feared the Lord spake often ui.e Ui 
another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it: and 
a book of remembrance was written before Irim t&p 
them that feared the Lord and that tbpught upon 
his name, And they shall be mine, saith the Lord, 
v *nthat day when I make up my jewels; and I will 
spare them as a man spareth his own son that 
servetli him* Then shall ye return and discern 
between the righteous and the wicked; between 
him that serveth God, and him that serveth him 
not/ Mah iii» 16, 13, Let us, then, remember- 
these things; and 'go. to the house of God., with thq 
Toiceof jgj and praise, with a multitude that keep* 
holy.day. And let us not Softer the sapri&se of 
fools,* nor *the sacrifice of the wicked, which is**** 
abomination to the Lord-- But let us wait upoii 
the Lord in his ordinances, with humble and fej* 
vent prayer, with the meakness and simplicity of 
children, with a determination, througli hk grace, 
to Hake heed how we hear,' and what we hear> 
that the word may come to us, mot In word only, 
but also with power,' and so prove to us uhe p *wei 
of God and the wisdom of God,' to the salvation of 
our souls, See I Thess, i, 5, 1 Qqt* 1? 23,§4 ? James 
k 2& Mat. xiii, 23 ? 



4MJ5 tttfAtt»iAtf» 919 



IT IS BOTH THE DUTY AND THM !>RlVl« 
LEGE OF CHRI8TIAES— TO FRAY UN- 
CEASINGLY FOR THE PROSPERITY Otf 
ZION—AND TO BE INSTRUMENTAL OF 
GOOD -THE UTMOST POSSIBLE- GOQ& 
TO THE HUMAN FAMILY! 

^WhIbb the heralds of salvation 
God's abounding grace proclaim | 

Let his friends of ev'ry station* 
Gladly join to spread his name* 

May his kingdom be prdmoted^ 
May the world the Sa^ur kno\v$ 

Be my all to him devoted— 
To my Lord my all I owe.' 

«Pray for the peatfe of Jerusalem** th<»y shall 
prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy wall* 
and prosperity within thy palaces. For my breth- 
ren and companions' sake, I will how say* peacte 
be within thee, Psalm cxxiij 6, 8 4 And hath 
hot the Father given to the Son 'the heathen fo? 
his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the emik 

* See siipplcmentsary note 1. 

P7 



391 christian's guibb 

for his possession?* And hath he not declared* 
that *he shall have dominion from sea to sea, and 
from the rivers to the ends of the earth?* And 
hath he not, therefore, proclaimed his willingness 
to receive sinners of all nations and countries? 
'Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the 
earth,' saith the Lord; *for I am God, and there is 
none else. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have 
I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men 
come; and all that are incensed against him shall 
be ashamed.' Is. xlv, 22, 24; 'As I live, saith the 
Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every 
tongue shall confess to God/ Rom. xiv, 11. 'Go ye 
therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in 
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things 
whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am 
with you always, even unto the end of the world/ 
Mat. xxviii, 19, 20. 

Christians, can you have greater encouragement 
for unceasing prayer and continuous effort? 'As, 
therefore, we have opportunity, let us do good unto 
all men.' And what avast field lies before us, and 
with what precious opportunities we are favored! 
And shall not the house-hold of faith unite together 
—in every judicious Christian enterprise— in every 
work of faith — in all the patience of hope, and in all 
the labor of love, for the conversion of the world thai 



AND GUARDIAN* 99$ 

now lieth in wickedness? 1 exhprt, therefore, that 
first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions and 
giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, 
and all that are in authority; that we may lead a 
quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and hones- 
ty: and thus exemply our holy religion, and thus 
be co-workers* with God in the salvation of immor- 
.tal souls! 



SECTION V . 

PRAYER f IN REFERENCE TO REVIVALS 
OF RELIGION. 

'For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and 
for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righ- 
teousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the 
salvation thereof as a lamp that burnetii. ' Is lxii, 2. 

'Pray for the prosperity of Jerusalem: they shall 

* See 1 Cor.vi,l. Rom. i, 14, and x, 13. 1 Tim. 
ii, 1. 1 John v, 19. 

j- The extracts under this head are taken from a 
treatise on prayer, written by one who appears to 
be deeply experienced in revivals; and which can- 
not, therefore, but be highly instructive, and at the 
same time gainfully humbling to every sincere 
Christian! May our gracious Lord deeply impress 
them upon our hearts and minds! 



393 #HRX9HIAN*S GUIDS 

prosper that love thee.' Ps, exxii, 6. Is. xlix, 20* 
33, and lii, 1. Micah iv, I, 4, Mai. iii, 10. Rom, i 4 
14. 1 Th.ess. i, S, 1 Tim. ii, 1, 6, 1 Cor, xv, m, 

<0 sun of righteousness, arise, 

With gentle beams on Zion shine? 

jD'ispel the darkness from our eyes£ 
And souls awake to life divine.' 

*Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, 1 * 
James iv, 3. Few petitions are oftener heard iq 
prayer, than that which was offered by the prophet 
JIabakkuk, <0 Lord, revive thy work. 3 livery 
oiie acknowledges that this petition refers to a 
*gAo4 thing,* The Psalmist says, *If I forget thee a 
O Jerusalem, let my right-hand forget her cunning? 
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to, 
tihe roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem to 
my chief joy.* Every Christian, whose graces are 
in lively exercise, knows something of the feelings 
of the Psalmist He carmot live in quietness, un« 
less he sees the glory of God revealed around him, 
If his brethren wound the cause of Christ, he, too, 
is wounded . If they %\\ out by the way, or indulge 
in bitterness, or envy,* or jealousy, or pride, his soul 
Is pained, as if private feuds were breaking ou^ 
fcmid the Wed circle of hh relatives- He weeps 
$m«l pr*y# for the return of p*ace, and harmony, 

m4 ]<w§, jf hf m$ bW brethren IMflg m dPnfefc 



AND GUARDIAN SS4 

mity with the world, adhering to its maxims, deep- 
ly engaged in its pursuits or recreations, bound 
down by its customs and habits, or ensnared by the 
attractions of its vanities and allurements; then 
how does his heart sicken at the aspect! How 
does his soul weep in secret places, and cry, 'spare 
thy people, O Lord, and give not thy heritage to 
waste. Remember the vine which thine own right- 
hand hath planted. Turn us again, O Lord God of 
our salvation; cause thy face to shine upon us, and 
we shall be saved.' Nor this alone. He exhorts 
his brethren daily in meekness and in love. Though 
they receive him unkindly, he approaches them 
again and again. According to his station and hi9 
opportunities, he admonishes and warns them. He 
uses exhortation and entreaty, if by any means he 
may prevail upon them to arouse from the deep 
sleep which has fallen upon them. He cannot hold 
his peace under such circumstances; nor can 'he re« 
frain the breath of prayer, either in secret or in 
the social circle, till his brethren aWake from their 
lethargy, and begin, visibly and in earnest, to live 
for God. At the same time his own soul is deeply 
humbled. His own multiplied sins of omission and 
commission; his deficiencies in faith, and love, and 
patience, and meekness, and the strong motions of 
sin within him, all tend to produce the deep feel- 
iogs of self-condemnation and sdlf-abhorrance/ Me 



3&4 mnw?tA%'$ ouxbb 

feels his own need of forgiveness, and applies in 
earnest to the blood of sprinkling", 'Restore unto 
me the joys of thy salvation; uphold me with thy 
free Spirit; then will I teach transgressors thy way* 
Khd sinners shall be converted tmte thee.-* The 
prayers of such a man, if he faint not, if he slacken 
pothif hand, nor suffer his feelings to degenerate, 
will in due time be heard and ■• Me re 

plizesthe necessity of the blessing 1 he is asking for | 
£nd he endeavors to act consistently with his peti* 
(ions* He feels for the honor of God, The bleed* 
jug cause of bis Master lies near his heart. He 
feels the burden of souls resting upon him; and 
the realities of eternity seem but a step before him, 
H« cannot be at ease in Zion. Sinners are warned 
by him to flee from the wrath to come, 

Christians are invited to come up to the help of 
fhe Lord; and the voice of prayer is unceasingly 
offered, in the spirit of deep, heartfelt supplica* 
tion. Who has not seen such examples of Chris* 
tian faithfulness, as are here described? And whq 
fias not been convinced, sooner or later, that the 
God of heaven has heard and answered the prayers 
of such individuals? *JBur, Christian reader, how 
floes this description suit your own cgse, just as you 
&re at the present time?' Doubtless you pray, *Lor4 
jpeviye thy w©rk.' Are you doing any thing which 
l§ tategfefed to p?omot« this work f Mire jm my 



faith that your prayers will be answered?' (But 
what is the character and results of the prayer of 
faith ? As it is the true spirit of prayer, so it is the 
true spirit of activity!) And 'the prayerful spirit 
of activity is a tender, melting- spirit. And he that 
goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, 
jsays the Psalmist, shall doubtless conie again with 
rejoicing", bearing his sheaves with him.' His 
prayer of &ith v and continuous effort, ynU It m* 
$weredf* 

THOUGHTS ON PRARER AND ON THE PRO- 
BABLE HINDRANCES TO EVERY TRULY 
aOOD WORD AND WORK. 

*How sweet how heavenly is the sight, 
When those who love the Lord, ' 

In one another's peace delight, 
And so fulfil his word- 

i^ove is the golden chain that binds 

The happy souls above* 
And he's an heir of heaven who finds 

Jfis bosom glow with love/ 

* See Is, xliii, 22, and Ixv. 24, Hos. vi, l f 4» 
Amos vi, 5. Mat. xv, 28. Mark v 9 34. Luke &I, 
% 13 , James i, 6, and v, 17, 13. Heb, xi, 



397 christian's auiD# 

•Is there not a cause ?" 1st Samuel xvii, 23 . 'For 
if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly 
Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive 
not men their trespasses, neither will your heaven- 
ly father forgive your trespasses. Mat. vi, 14, 15. 
'If ye love them which love you what reward have 
ye?' Mat. v. 46. 'What do ye more than others!' 
Matt, v, 47. Christians, therefore, are expected 
and required to do more than others! And if they 
do not, how shall it be khown* that they are 
Christians? 

It follows, therefore, that Christians should put 
away 'the accursed thing/ Is there an Achan in 
the camp? Jos. vii. And let us take heed lest 
any root of bitterness sprmg up among us lest our 
'prayers be hindred' — lest we labour in the very 

♦It not unfrequentfy happens that even good 
men, from a superficial view, or a single look at 
something, receive a wrong impression, and it is 
known to the person concerned. What then? 
Should it be mentioned that the erroneous im- 
pression may be removed? This would be deemed 
contrary to the usages of society. Besides, the ag- 
grieved or injured person must not appear to 
know, what he cannot but know! — must not ap- 
pear to see what he cannot but see? And must, 
therefore, bear an imputed burden! Alas! for 
poor human nature! How different from the in- 
junction 'Bear ye one another's burdens and so 
fulfil the law of Christ.' Gal. vi, % 



AND aUARDlAW. 398 

fire' and yet in vain lest we •strive for the mastery* 
unlawfully, lest we know not what manner of spir* 
it we are of, and lest, (most painful idea) 'we in* 
herit a curse, instead of a blessing.* Let us'there-* 
fore, pray tor the wisdom that cometh from above, 
which is pure, peaceable, gentle and easy to be 
entreaied, full of mercy and good fruits, without 
partiality, and without hypocracy. And the fruit 
of righteousness is sown in peace of them that 
make peace. 8 James Hi, 17, 18, And he that 
Will love life, and see good days, let him refrain 
his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak 
no guile. Let him eschew evil, and do good? le^ 
him seek peace and ensue it,* J Peter iii, 10, 11 , 

♦•This is the way, walk ye in it, 9 c So run that y& 
may obtain.' Again *if thou bring thy gift to th$ 
altar, and there remembered that thy brother hath 
a-ight against thee, leave there thy gift before the 
altar, and go thy way$ first be reconciled to thy 
brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 5 Matt, v, 
23, 24.' And *How often shall my brother sin' 
against me, and I ' forgive him? till seven times } 
Our great Quide replies, «I say not unto thee until 
seven times; bat until seventy times seven.' Matt, 
*viii,21, 22, 

•Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against 
thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him 
filon^ ifhe shall how thee ? thou hast gamed thy 



399 christian's guide 

brother. But if he will not here thee, then take 
with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of 
two or three witnesses every word may be estab„ 
lished. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell 
it unto the church, but if he neglect to hear the 
church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man 
and a publican.' Let him then, and not before, be 
unto thee as though he had not belonged to the 
church: — He is still thy neighbor. Matt, xviii, 15, 
17. Are we thus guided? Is the sacred volume 
the rule of our faith and practice? And do we sit 
at the Master's feet, and meekly hear and learn his 
word, * 'and bring forth fruit with patience !' 

SECTION VII. 

THE PRAYER OF FAITH. 

Begone unbelief! * 
My Saviour is near; 
And for my relief 
Will shortly appear. 

f If unbelief could appear to us of a visible form, 
It would not improbably appear like so many dark 
clouds over the different churches! and becoming 
larger or smaller, according to the increase or de- 
crease of their faith. In the time of a great revival 
it might appear very small 'like a man's hand,' but 
how large it would appear— when a church had 
settled upon its lees!* 



ANB GUARDIAN. 400 

Though dark be my way, 

Since he is my guide, 

'Tis mine to obey, 

'Tis his to provide." 
'When the son of man cometb, shall he find faith 
lipon the earth?' Luke xviii, 8. 'And he did not 
do many mighty works there, because of their un- 
belief.' Mat. xiii, 58. But what shall we do that 
we may work the works of God?— This is the 
work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath 
sent/ And he is'the true spiritual bread from hea- 
ven, which giveth life unto the world; and if any 
man spiritually thirst, let him come unto him and 
drink: 'For,' saith the saviour, 'he that cometh to 
me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me 
shall never thirst.* And it is the spirit that quick- 
eneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I 
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 
John vi, 35, 63. "And I say unto you, ask, and 
it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock 
and it shall be opened. And if a son shall ask 
bread of any of you that is a father, will he give 
him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish 
give him a serpent! Or if he shall ask an egg 9 
will he offer him a scorpion ? If ye, then, being e* 
vil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, 
how much more shall your heavenly father give 
the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke, xi f 9, 



401 dfiMSTtAN*S GtttflH 

IS. It is evident, therefore 5 that We afe iiot 
fctf aightened in him but in ourselves. And he has 
also promised* 'that if two of his people shall a* 
gree on earth, touching any thing they shall 1 ask$ 
it shall be cloiie for them by his father who is in 
heaven, 'For,' he says to us, by way of confirma* 
tion 'where two or three are gathered together in 
my name, there am I in the midst of them.' Mat* 
xviii 18, 19, 20. And again, *ifye shall ask any 
thing m my name, I will do it* 5 John xiv, 14* 
Therefore,. * Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy 
may be full.' John xvi, 24» See also 1 John iii, 22, 
23; and v &, 14. Is there then any cloak for unbe-* 
lief? See John viii, 24* Let us therefore, in the 
full assurance of faith,' 'come boldly to the throne 
of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find 
grace to help in time of need. Heb. iv, 16. 

SECTION Vltl* 

ILLUSTRATION,— VERIFICATION,— ^Tft£ 
VINE SIGNATURE. 

<Do ye now believe?' John xvi 31. Should we 
therefore, now enquire, what is our ground for be- 
lief? Let us look at temporal blessings, at spiritual 
blessings, at all that the God of truth has promised! 
Temporal blessings are promised to faith and ©be* 



ax:d guardian. 4Qf 

Sextet* A* i ye shall serve the Lord vour God, 

■•'■■■"■ |- 
•ftud he shall bless thy bread and thy water, and 

take sickness away from the midst of thee.' Ex, 
J&iit, 25. Do we believe it? And let us hear the 
evangelical prophet. 'He, (the man who serves 
God) 'shall dwell on high: his place of defence 
shall be the munitions of rocks; bread shall be giv- 
en him, his water shall be sure/ Isaiah xxxiii, 16. 
Further, 'Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of 
the latter rain; so the Lord shall make light clouds, 
and give them, (give to you) showers of rain, to 
■every one grass in the field/ Zech. x. 1. Should 
we not believe it? See, also^ Deut. xi, 14. 'And 
: £ will bfive you the rain of your land in due season, 
the first rain and the latter rain, &c.' Now look at 
the consequences of unbelief and disobedience! 
■* The Lord's wrath' (speaking after the manner of 
men-,) will be kindled against you, and he (will) 
shut up the heaven that there be no rain, &c. 
I>eut. xi, 17. And again: 'I have withholden the 
rain 'from you, when there were yet three months 
fd the harvest J' See Amos iv, 7. And the question 
again recurs, do we now believe? Let us now look 
at the prayer of faith. "The effectual fervent 
prayer of a righteous man availeth much.' The 
prayer of faith is eftetual! For 'Elias was a man 
subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed 
earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained, V^A 



403 

on the earth by (for) the space of thr&s years and 
six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven 
gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit.' 
James v. 16, 18; Jer. xiv, 22; Acts xiv. If. 

Need we again refer the reader to the rich a- 
bundanec of spiritual blessings ah promised to the 
prayer of faith through our Lord Jesus Christ? 
Behold! 'all things are yours,' 1 Cor. iii, 21. But 
let us never forget, that thus saith the Lord Cod, I 
will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Is- 
rael to do it for them.' Eze. xxx. 37. And furtive p. 
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the 
earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob seek \e 
my face in vain. I the Lord speak righteousness, 
I declare things that are right.' Isaiah xiv, 19. 
'But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but, 
thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.' Isaiah xliiij, 
Christian! hast thou become weary and faint in thy 
mind? See Isaiah xl, 27, 31. 'O fools and slow of;, 
heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!'. 
John xxiv, 25. "If thou vvouldst believe thou 
shouldst see the glory of God.' John xi, 40. 

SECTION IX. 

ON CONFORMITY TO THE WOULD. 
I leave the world with smiling fa :e 9 
Great God, to find repose in thee: 



AND GUARDIAN. 404 

Once its enchantments soft and- sweet, 

Threw silken fetters over me.' 

"Be not conformed to this world " Rom. xii, 2. 

Be ye separate, sniith the Lord.' 2 Cor. vi, 17. 
« r , ■ , . , , . , 

Lose not toe world, neither tne tilings tout are in 

the world. If any man love the world, the love of 
the father is not in him. For all that is in the 
world, the hist of the flesh, and the lust of the 
eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the father but 
is of the world.' 1 John ii, 15, 16. The line of de- 
marcation is drawn, and light and darkness, heaven 
and hell are not more opposite than the spirit of 
the world from the spirit of the Christian religion!; 
'Know ye not, that the friendship of the world is 
enmity with God. Whosoever therefore, will be 
a friend ofthe world is the enemy of God.' James 
iv, 4, 5. But what are we to understand by the 
world? Every individual in whom the light of rea". 
son dawns, who does not live according to the light 
ofhisorher dispensation— every such individual 
and all such individuals together constitute the 
world that lieth in wickedness! What an im- 
mense multitude! and how many classes does it in- 
clude? How many from the highest to the lowest 
from the richest to the poorest — from the bond to 
the free! Who can tell? Yet all these, we are 
compelled to repeat, constitute the world! Is it 
possible, then, for Christians to be too guarded ? ; 



405 christian's gvwm 

For if we are altogether uninfluenced by the gross- 
ly immoral how many still remain? Formalists, le- 
galists, nominal professors — worldly com promisors, 
and 'lovers of (mis-named) pleasure more than lov- 
ers of God' — giddy and thoughtless characters, 
who are flickering like the gay butterfly from 
point to point, from place to place — strangers to 
reflection — strangers to themselves — strangers to 
God! and, (most lamentable delusion) floating 
down the stream of time, amid the soul-destructive 
vortex of fashionable dissipation! — and how they 
shrnkfrom plain dealing! and how few are dispos- 
ed to deal plainly with them! They who do so, 
are in very deed, their best, their true friends! 
We have seen, that true religion does not preclude 
truely rational enjoyment — but the contrary: that 
it precludes whatever is anti-rational and uri scrip- 
tural; whatever is contrary to all our interests — 
rightly, rationally and scripturally considered. ^But 
we again repeat, that Christians cannot be too 
guarded: And two points deserve our special at- 
tention. 1st, That we do not from a desire to 
please, compromit ourselves, that we do not mis- 
take levity for cheerfulness; and that we do not, in 
our endeavor to be as agreeable as possible even 
appear to approve of something which our con- 
science must condemn. 2nd. That we be equal- 
ly careful to avoid every thing of an opposite ehar- 



AND GUARDIAN. 406 

acter. The happy medium lies before us: and if 
our spiritual eye be single, our mind shall be full 
of light. On the one side Christians are accused 
of being morose or anti-social : and on the other 
side, of being as light and trifling as others, or no 
better than the world! 

How many thus watch for their halting — how 
many endeavor to lead them astray — under appear- 
ance of friendship! and if they succeed — triumph 
over them. Well does the poet say: 

♦Bid me of men beware, 

And to my ways take heed, 
Discern their every secret snare. 
And cirucmspectly tread,' 
Let Christians, therefore, 'blend the wisdom of 
the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove'* 
take heed that their good be not evil spoken of,' 
'flee from the very appearance of evil' and nut on* 
ly 'be blameless ahd harmless' but let their light 
shine upon all around them — 'holding forth the 
word of life,' and adorning 'the [doctrine of God 
their Savionr, in all things/ 

* See Rom. xiv, 16. 1 Cor. vi. 20, and ix, & 27 9 
2 Cor. vi, 15, - 



407 christian's &uids 

section x. 

IN HOW MANY WAYS CHRISTIANS* MAT 

BE INSTRUMENTAL OF GOOD. 

Many ways have been pointed out: many mora 
might he mentioned ! but we have only to look 
around us, to real, mark and learn. And we 
may rest assured, that the heart of the liberal 
deviseth liberal things, and that by liberal tilings 
he shall stand:' 'that there is that scattereth, and 
yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more 
than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty,' and 'ye 
know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that 
though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became 
poor, that ye, through his poverty might be r'ich.t 
and that he hath set us an example that we should 
tread in his steps. 'Ke went about doin£ good, 
and healing all who were oppressed with the devil. i 
Christians will you not follow your Lord and Mas- 
ter? We would now particularly direct your at- 
tention to the words of eternal life! Is it not an 
unspeakable privilege to be an active and tin- 
cient member of a bible society? And may you 
not be instrumental of great good as a distributor 
of religious tracts — those precious and godlike 
messengers of grace and mercy? Read the re* 

* See sunplementary note 4. 



AND GUARDIAN, 40$ 

ports of the different bible and tract societies-—- 
and you will surely exclaim 'what bath God 
wrought? and then inquire of thyself, my sou! 
what art thou doing'. And wilt thou not *go and 
do likewise?' Will; thou not be a co-worker with 
God in the salvation of immortal souls? Again: 
dost thou take an active part in the great temper- 
ance cause?' All who do not are without excuse !* 
Art thou a friend to Sunday schools, those moral 
and religious nurseries of immortal souls and dost 
thou take an active part in them? Art thou deep- 
ly concerned for the perishing heathen, and dost 
thou regularly attend the monthly concert? Dost 
thou visit the sick, and the poor and the dis^ 
consolate and bereaved? Art thou 'eyes to the 
Mind, and feet to the lame, and dost thou make 
the widow's heart sing for joy?* 

In fine, art thou diligently and zealously and 
faithfully and perse veringly engaged in every 
good Word and work? If so, thou dost, in some 
degree realise thy all important duties, thy un- 
speakably great and precious privileges thy unut- 
terable responsibility! Go forward, therefore, 
[irmly clad in celestial armor! go forward in 'the 
work* of faith, the patience of hope, and the la- 
bour of love!' and so shall 'an abundant* entrance* 

* See appendix G. 

I See appendix T\ 



409 

be administered unto thee into the everlasting 
kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ" 

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES. 

Mrs. Newton was sitting- before a window 
through which the moon shone beautifully, and 
there she had been silently seated for half an hour 
when Miss Lenis, awaking from her first nap, ask- 
ed her, 'Dear madam, why do you sit here so long 
every night after we are gone to bed!' Because, 
my love, I can then meditate without interruption 
on the events of' the past day, and examine myself, 
and reflect on the chapter of the blessed book 
which we read at prayers, and know what the will 
of God is. My dear young friend, we cannot a- 
bide in the redeemer without devout meditation% 
And the life of Mrs. Newton, is a transcript of pi- 
ous meditation. Thus it was with Mr. Andrews, 
one of the first of the philosophers and literati o* 
his day. Every evening at twilight he retired to 
meditate and pray. A lady in whose family he 
lived, two or three times surprised him at this hour 
of prayer. At last he said to her, 'dear lady, as 
eventide is my hour for sacred meditation, do not 
suffer any one to come to my chamber at that hour; 
I retire then, for fear I should be too wearied and 
sleepy at bed time to meditate as well as pray. 



A#D GUARDIAN. 410 

There is no feeding* on the scriptures without med- 
iation ! ' — Episcopal Recorder* 

2. It must be evident that every Christian's life 
should, like Mrs. Newtons, 'be a transcript of pious 
meditation; that every Christian should be able to 
say from the heart 'it is a good thing to give thanks 
unto the I*oik1, and to sing praises unto thy name, 
O most high: to show forth thy loving kindness ev- 
ery morning, and thy faithfulness every night?'-— 
Psalm xcii, 1, 2. 

'Sweet is the work my God my king, 

To praise thy name, give thanks and singj 

To shew thy love by morning light, 

And talk of all thy truth at night.' 

Should we not, therefore, — most carefully avoid 
being so careful and troubled about many things/ 
as to neglect at any time, or in any place, the 'one 
thing needful?' 'A moment thou mayest need — 
when worlds want Wealth to buy?' In this respect, 
1 therefore, as well as in every other — be thyself an 
example! Do not dread singularity, when it is ev- 
ident to you (and is it not?) that you are not singu- 
lar for singularity's sake! 

And that you can say with the Psalmist, 'O how 
Hove thy law, it is my meditation all the day.' And 
*my meditation of him shall be sweet:— I will be 
glad in the Lord.' And seven times a day do I prais e 
thee — because of thy righteous judgments.' 'Praise 



41 1 CHRISTIAN'S GUIDS 

ye the Lord:' 'praise him, O ye servants of the 
Lord.' 'Let every thing that hath breath praise 
the Lord.' 'Praise ye the Lord.' Amen and a- 
men.' See also 1 Thess: v. 16, and Col. in, 16. 

3 The Christians of Scotland are remarkable for 
their strict observance of the Sabbath, and for 
their united prayers for their ministers : and no 
less so in the family circle than in their ra- 
cial and public meetings. There is consequent* 
ly a spiritual reciprocity between pastors and 
their flocks! The pastors are both the overseen) 
and the servants of their people, for Jes'is's sake, 
and their dear and affectionate people Uphold thei? 
hands and strengthen their hearts, (most lovely 
spectacle) as Aaron and Ilurr upheld fhe hands of 
Moses. See Exodus xvii, 8, 12: And they JcdJ; 
forward to the Sabbath, rs to a spir&UUil feast day, 
and for some time, on a day or two previous, they 
more especially pray for them — that UV< y may be 
prepared to minister to thenrf in holy things, that 
they may come forth from their sacred retirement 
as Aaron came forth from the holy of holies, wh&$ 
the consecrated oil was poured on his head, an<§ 
that they may be prepared to receive fhom theifa 
"the messengers of the Lord of hosts," tho 
'words of eternal life.' 'I feed upon our Pastor'* 
sermons,' said a Scotch lady, 'during the week: an$ 
I go to Kirk on Sunday for more spiritual fpoo!, 



AND atTARDIAir. 412 

Oh it was good for her to be there! She did not 
go empty away. How happy are the people that 
are in such a case. How happy are the pastors 
who have such a praying people! Oh that every 
Christian society would ih.us pray, and pray in faith 
for their pastor! They would be repaid an hun- 
dred fold— his head and heart would be cheered 
and animated, sinners would be awakened, convict- 
ed and converted, and the word of the Lord would 
indeed run, have free course and be glorified. Read* 
er wilt thou not do likewise? Churches of the living 
God, will not you imitate the example? 

4. We cannot conclude this head, without a 
word to parents and guardians. 

Friends and fellow travellers to eternity ! we 
would beseech you — by the tender mercies of Al- 
mighty God! and under a view of the unutterable 
responsibility that rests upon you to pay the great-' 
est possible attention to the early religious instruc- 
tion of those who are committed to your care, and 
related to you by the most tender ties, and for whom 
;you must give an account. What have you done 
for them, and what are you doing for them, in hum- 
ble and prayerful and persevering dependence up- 
on divine grace! Look at examples of early piety: 
At Samuel, Josiah, Obadiah and Timothy; and then 
say in effect — to yourselves — to your families, to 
your country, to your God and Saviour, I will 



413 christian's guide 

spare no pains I will slack no effort, I will yield to 
no discouragement in imparting 1 line upon line, 
and precept upon precept, here a little and there 
a little, to my dear children, my sen ants and all 
who are under my care and government through 
the good hand of my God upon me; through the 
grace and strength of my Lord and master. Family 
altar, sabbath schools and bible classes, ye can 
bear witness to my prayers, and tears and unceasing 

endeavors to be instrumental to the conversion 

• 

and growth in grace and knowledge of all who 
are entrusted to my care. And, dear children and 
youth, and domestics, will you not obey those who 
are over you in the Lord, and love you, and labour 
and pray for your spiritual and eternal welfare? 
Know you not, that each of your souls is worth in- 
finitely more than the material universe? Hear 
what the Lord said of his ancient people, 'My peo- 
ple are distroyed for lack of knowledge?' Hos. iv, 
6. Shall it be so with you? Will you not pray 
and labour, and labour and pray that ye may 'grow 
in grace and knowledge?' 2 Peter iii, 18. And 
what does the wisest of men say to us? ^That the 
soul be without knowledge it is not good/ Prov. 
xix, 2. Shall we not follow that which is good? 
Again: Solomon also informs us, that 'a man's 
wisdom maketh his face to shine:' His mind feeds 
upon substantial knowledge; and by the due exer- 



AND GUARDIAN* 41 S 

cise of his rational powers he becomes truly wise, 
and the ardent glow of his mind is seen in the ex- 
pression of his countenance, as well as by the gen- 
eral tenor of his conversation. What a ground of 
encouragement to youth! Will you not, then im- 
prove to the very uttermost, your unspeakably 
great and precious privileges? 



^1 



CHAPTER XL 



PROBATION FOR ETERNITY. 

* Religion's all. 
Religion — Providence — an after-state ! 
Here is firm- footing* — here is solid rock! 
This can support us— all is sea besides! 
Sinks under us — bestorms, and then devours! 
His hand the good man fastens on the skies, 
And bids earth roll, nor feels her idle whirl. ^ 

Dr. Young, 

Thus mount to 'reason's region — her own eft- 
mentl' 

And thus, and only thus, breath hope immor- 
tal! 

'"Religion — thou my all! 
My theme — my inspiration, and my crown! 
My strength in age — my rise in low estate! 
My soul's ambition, pleasure, wealth — my 

world ! 
My life in darkness, and my life in death! 
My boast through time 5 bliss through eternity!- 



AND GUARDIAN. 41T 

Eternity! — too short to speak thy praise! 

Or fathom thy profound of love to man ! ' — Ibid, 

And what of time? Let us view it through the 
glass of eternity/ We have seen a particle of dust 
in the beams of the sun. But what a faint and fee- 
ble metaphor! That particle of dust is a part of 
the material universe. But millions of millions of 
myriads of ages are not, like a particle of dust, to 
be compared, (what poverty of language!) to be 
compared to eternity! There is not, and never, 
never, never will be any literal ground for compari- 
son! lx 9 then, our period of probation should be 
beyond the possibility of a doubt, millions of mil- 
lions of myriads of ages, what would that be? And 
how should we live during that speck of time! Let 
us again pause, consider, reflect. * * * 

Reader, hast thou reasoned with thyself in the 
light of revelation. And what does conscience say \ 

Now look at thy period of probation for eternity. 
What is it? 'What is your life ? It is even a vapour, 
that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth 
away.' James iv, 14. Should we not say, then, 
♦here we have no continuing city, but we seek one 
to come?* Heb. xiii, 14. And should we not say 
to each other, 'brethren, the time is short.' And 
therefore, those 'that weep,' should be 'as though 
they wept not; and they that rejoice as though they 
Q2 



418 christian's guide 

rejoiced not; and they that buy as though they 
possessed not ; and they that use this world, as not 
abusing it: for the fashion of this world passed 
away.' 1 Cor. vii, 29, 31. 

'How fast my moments glide away! 

First the hour and then the day; 
Small the daily loss appears. 

Yet it soon amounts to years! 5 

And how much of the life is spent — gone — fleet 
forever; and how much remains? This thou dost 
not, canst not know! What follows? Reason, 
conscience, revelation proclaim, enjoin and call 
upon thee, sermon after sermon, Sabbath after 
sabbath, day after day, night after night, hour after 
hour, moment after moment, the present moment— 
noiuf To < prep are to meet thy GoclJ' 

*Ye wilful, wanton fools, 

Let dangers make you wise: 
Carnal professors, careless souls — 

Unclose your sleeping eyes. 

? Tis time we all awake; 

The dreadful day draws near: 
Sinners, your proud presumption check, 

And stop your wild career. 

Now is the accepted time, 
To Christ for merey fly, 



AN© GUARDIAN. 419 

O turn, repent, and trust in him, 
And you shall never die.' 

We now invite the reader's special attention to 
the following' considerations: 

1st. It is evident that the human mind is contin- 
ually disposed to seek for something that is pleas- 
ing, that is like a soothing balm to the spirits, and 
more especially, after experiencing severe trials of 
any kind, and though it is often adventurous, bold, 
daring, yet it is sensibly affected by disappointment, 
and by 'hope defered, which maketh the heart 
sick/ &c. It is of importance, therefore, to bear 
in mind, that whatever we do meet with, and that 
whatever we can meet with, all that could be men- 
tioned or conceived, that all is implied in a correct 
view of our period of probation for eternity? There- 
fore, do not, through divine grace, be surprised at 
anything; and also endeavor, through divine grace, 
to be more prepared for whatever might occur, 
from friends — from foes — from the church — from 
the world — from any and from every source! This 
is all-imporiani! For the mind must have an un- 
changeable and all-sufficient resource! Jin Almighty 
armio sustain it, in all things — at all times — in all 
places! And here the weary wanderer finds rest 
— the troubled mind finds ease — the wounded con- 
science finds peace, and the dark cloud disappear* 

q3 



420 

before the out-breaking beams of the sun of rig/rfe- 
ousness/ 

2d. The mind is often imperceptibly and uncon- 
sciously influenced by the things of time and sense 
— the things with which it is continually engaged, 
and this consideration extends to customs, habits 
&c. and so much so, that after all that we have 
heard, in general terms, about worldly customs, &c. 
and after all that we have heard of the all-import- 
ance of divine and eternal things, we are in danger 
of turning back, almost mechanically, to the course, 
the scenes, the modes, the usages, the habits, the 
fashions, &c. to which we have been so long accus- 
tomed, whether they accord with reason and scrip- 
ture or not; as though, indeed, they were a some- 
thing-, a charm of some kind, a mysterious opera- 
tion upon the mind, at certain times and seasons; 
and which we deem very suitable, very proper, but 
that afterwards, or at other times and seasons, we 
must revolve in a routine of a very different characw 
ter, and no one must suppose that we do not know 
what is right for ourselves, in whatever is contained 
in that routine; others may direct us at other times, 
or on public occasions, but then we must beg to 
be excused! For we know, we see so clearly — so 
well in every other respect, and the whole (the 
whole of the common routine^) appears so natural. 



AND GUARDIAN. 42i 

to us, that whatever is within it is pleasing; and 
vice versa/ 

And this, in a great measure accounts for the tran- 
sient character of many good* impressions upon 
the raind. They are soon lost amid the varied con- 
cerns of the common routine. And this also ac- 
counts for the sudden transition of the mind from 
one thing to another, or from something of a spirit- 
ually important character, to something cf a world- 
Iy 4 and fleeting, and perishable character, even 
when there is no necessity for such a transition, 
but t'.me sufficient for consideration! Hence many 
of the impressions made upon the mind. are as Meet- 
ing and short-lived as the colours of the Chamelion, 
as it pusses from green to red, and from red to blue, 
he. Hence there is so little reflection, censidera- 
tion or close-thinking. Hence the mind lays so 
much stress upon even the little things to which it 
has been so long accustomed, and which have be- 
come so natural to it. It is true, indeed, that there 
are many things of a purely indifferent character; 
but it is no less true, that the mind should not be 
influenced by them; but simply us&then in perfect 
subordination to things that are really and truly im- 
portant, and that it should be glided by reason and 
revelation, at every step and turn, and in every 

* See supplementary note, 

Q4 



A%% christian's guide 

thing* that relates to, or is implied irt our private, 
and social, and public intercourse ; all which, by 
natural consequence, includes all our lawful inter- 
ests. 

3d. The undue influence of the things of time 
and sense upon the mind, and the unhappy defi- 
ciency with regard to the exercise of our rational 
powers, appear to account, in no small degree, for 
the lamentable coldness and indifference which not 
unfrequently follow a revival of religion! So long 
as the terrors of Sinai thundered in our ears — so 
long as fche multitude thronged to the house of God 
— so long as the ministers proclaimed the glad tid- 
ings of salvation, with unusual zeal, and animation, 
and power — so long all appeared to go on well! 
But alas, how short-lived was all this. *0 Ephiaim 
what shall I do unto thee? O Jndah what shall I 
do unto thee? For your goodness is as a morning 
cloud, and as the early due it goeth away.' 

See the parable of the sower, Mat. xiii, and com- 
pare it with the 4th chapter of Mark. Among other 
things we read, that 'the cares of this world, and 
the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other 
things entering in, (into the mind and the heart,) 
choke the word; and it becometh unfruitful.' And 
how many go this Way, and that way, and the other 
way! How many turn bact to Egypt — turn back 
to ths beggarly elements of this world! And how 



AND GUARDIAN. 4£$ 

few 'return to give glory to God.' 1 Cor. x. Luke 
xvii, 18. But 'will ye also go away? 5 'Lord to 
whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal 
life. John vi, 67, 63. 

4th. Christians are not unfrequently so much en 
gjged with things of a painful or afflictive character, 
or so much bowed down by trials and troubles, 
or so intent upon their peculiar temptation, that 
they comparatively lose sight of the all-sufficiency 
of divine grace, and exclaim, 'this is very hard!' 
'You know nothing of my trials!' Yes, it may be 
very hard to flesh and blood, and the trials may be 
very great trials indeed to poor human nature, 
without divine grace. But let Christians look off 
from the creature to the Creator — look far above 
these low grounds, where thorns and sorrows rise, 
and let them say, 'I will look unto the Lord; I will 
wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear 
me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when 
1 fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord 
shall be a light unto me.' Micah vii, 7, 8. And 
'God is our refuge and strength, a very present 
help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though 
the earth be removed, and though the mountains 
be carried into the midst of the sea.' Ps. xlvi. When 
the friends of Martin Luther said any thing to him 
about his troubles and trials, he would reply, 'coma 
ht us read the 40th Psalm.' Christian will yoe. n« 
*5 



424 christian's guide 

do likewise? And will you not bear in mind, that 
there 'hath no temptation taken you, but such as i 9 
common to man;' and that 'God is faithful (faithful 
to fulfil all his promises,) and will not suffer you to 
be tempted above what you are able to bear; but 
will with the temptation also make a way to escape, 
that ye may be able to bear it.* 1 Cor. x, 13. And 
will you not believe, and continue to believe, 'that 
all thing's shall work together for g-ood to them 
that love God;' and he will fulfil in you all the good 
pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith 
with power;' so that you shall be 'strong in the 
grace that is in Christ Jesus,' 'go on your way re- 
joicing,' 'glorify God in your body and in your 
spirit, which are God's,' and come off 'more than 
conqueror?'* 

5th. Some Christians are peculiarly tried and 
tempted; and suffer most severely in a great variety 
of respects; by which they are, at length, prepared 

• As we are, though very reluctently, compelled 
to be very brief under this article; so we would 
earnestly recommend to the reader, to follow out 
the train of thought under the respective heads. 
The subject is unbounded. We would also re- 
commend in the highest terms, the folio wing?works, 
to all who can obtain them: Buck on Experience; 
Doddridge's Kise and Progress of Religion in the 
Soul; and Jay's closet exercises for every morning 
and evening in the year. 



AND GUARDIAN <> 42 5 

to 'comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, 
and be patient towards a'l men. In them 'patience 
has its perfect work;'* and they are enabled to say, 
with Job, 'I abhor myself, and repent in dust and 
ashes.' And with Jeremiah, 'wherefore doth a 
living* man complain; a man for the punishment of 
his sins?* And they more especially 'remember 
their affliction and their misery, the worm-wood 
and the gal!;' 'their soul, hath them still in remem- 
brance, and is humbled within them;' and they are 
thus weaned from their former idols; and they thus 
see, wherefore the Lord contended with them; and 
they desire and pray that they may 'walk softly be- 
fore him* the remainder of their days, and that they 
may bear with the ignorance, and errors, and pre- 
judices, and misapprehensions of their brethren and 
fellow-travellers to the eternal world ^ and by means 
of which, as well as by other means, the Lord 
preserves them from self-seeking, mortifies their 
pride, humbles them to the very dust, £md makes 
them watchful, and prayerful, and circumspect; 
i esigned to the divine will and word, and esteem- 
ing it an inestimable privilege, to be allowed to ap- 
proach the mercy-seat, and to be allowed to labor 
in any way in the Lord's moral vine-yard! And thus 
they can say from the heart: 



426 christian's guides 

'To be, or not be; 

To have, or not to have, 

I leave to thee! 

All my requests are lost in one — 

Father, thy only will be db&gj* 

And thus they can pray: O Lord God, most holy! 
1 look to thee! Thou knowest every thing- th:.t 
pertains to me. All my sins, transgressions and 
iniquities are unveiled before thee. But thou hasfc 
been pleased to receive me graciously, and to make 
thy goodness pass before me; and many a shadovj 
of death hast thou turned into the morning*. Thou 
hast upheld me in slippery places, and saved my 
soul from going down into the pit. O thou great 
and good being, wilt thou not perfect whatever 
con.cerneth me, and enable me in patience to pos« 
sess my soul; wilt thou not enable me to derive 
benefit from all the lessons which 1 have learned — - 
from all the scenes through which I have passed — 
from all the trials which I have experienced — from 
all the difficulties under which I have labored — 
from all the afflictions which I have endured? To 
thee I commit and commend myself, body and soul, 
for time and for eternity, through the merits and 
mediation of my Lord and Saviour, to whon, wit ft 
thee, my heavenly Father, and Hciy Spirit, the 
comforter, shall be all the glory, forever and ever. 
Amen. 



ANt) GUARDIAN. 45$ 

6th. The great end of a period of probation for 
eternity, is to prepare the creatine for the never- 
ending* enjoyment of the Creator — to train immor- 
tals for the skies— -for that happiness which 'eye 
hath not seen, ear heard, and of which it hath not 
entered into the heart of man to form an adequate 
conception.' There aii is light, and no darkness — ■ 
all is day, and no night — all is peace, and no war 
— all is sweet, and no bitter — all are friends, and no 
enemies; and God himself shall wipe off the tears 
from every eye; and there shall be no more death; 
but all shall be light and life, joy and love — an im- 
mensity of happiness — an eternity of fruition! 'In 
his presence there is fulness of joy, and at his right 
hand there are pleasures forevermore.' And there- 
fore, 

'Away with our sorrow and fear, 
We soon shall recover our home* 

The city of saints shall appear; 
The day of eternity come. 

From earth we shall quickly remove* 
And mount to our native abode; 

The house of our Father above, 
The palace of angels of God. * 

'And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Where 
fore, comfort one another with these words.' I 
Thess.ir, IT, 18. 



425 christian's &vide 



SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE. 

Many exemplary Christians appear to be under 
a very erroneous impression, with regard to the 
universal influence of religion, upon the heart, life 
and conversation. Thus, they suppose that reli- 
gion does, abstractly considered, sometimes occa- 
sion painful ideas, and over-spread the mind with 
gloom. Not so! It is contrary to the nature of 
religion! it is irrdigion that produces every evil! 
And it is conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, that 
eads to religion. And it is religion, and religion 
alone, that produces true happiness/ And it is sin, 
again embraced, or yielded to, after religion has 
imparted happiness, that produces painful feelings 
and gloomy ideas, the opposite of peace and joy! 
And what can remove the evil and produce the 
rood— remo> borrow and produce joy, either with 
regard to ourselves or others? 1 

Religion! So far, therefore, as religion is con- 
ferred, all is well— true happiness is experienced 
- religion is exonerated. Religion and happiness 
?> re coeval, co-essential, co-eternal! Should we 
not, therefore, view religion in its proper light? 
Should we not endeavor to remove erroneous im- 
pressions from the sincere and humble Christian? 
And should we not endeavor to remove a eioud ©f 



ANB GUARDIAN. 429 

misapprehension from the world? Ami should we 
not thus realize, that 'wisdom's ways are ways of 
pleasantness,' and that 'all her paths are paths©/ 
eace ? J 

'Religian,* O thoucherub, heavenly bright 1 

Of joys unmixed, and fathomless delight! 

Thou — thou art all. n 

* To preclude misapprehension, we remark, that 
we are careful to distinguish between all the exer- 
cises of the mind, under conviction, and all the sins 
committed, either before or after conversion; and 
the natural and necessary influence cf pure religion 
upon the heart and life of every true Christian. 
Religion is the moral sun, which, when it takes pos- 
session of the soul* disperses every moral cloud; 
and by natural consequence, removes guik from 
the conscience, which, in the strong and figurative 
language of scripture, is sprinkled with the blood 
.-of atonement, and a sense of guilt being removed, 
peace and joy follow! But when guilt is again con- 
tracted, peace and joy depart.; and what can restore 
them? That alone, most 'assuredly, by which they 
.were produced. And hence we infer, that true 
religion and true happiness are indeed inseparable! 
But if we connect religion, or consider it as inter- 
woven with every thing that is experienced during 
.conviction and conversion, and our subsequent pro- 
gress through life, or consider religion as compris- 
ing the whole, then, indeed, do we view religion ill 
ii.very, very different light! 



42& christian's «tt&x>je 



CHAPTER XII. 



THE CHRISTIANAS TRIUMPH. 

*0 for an ©yercoming faith — 

To cheer ray dying hours, 
To triumph o'er the monster deaths 

And all his frightful powers. 

Joyful, with all the strength I have, 
My quivering lips should sing, 

Where is thy boasted victory, grave ? 
And where the monster's sting? 

If sin be pardoned, I'm secure; 

Death hath no sting beside * 
The law gives sin its condemning power- 

But Christ, my ransom, died. 

Now to the God of victory 

Immortal thanks be paid, 
Who makes us conquerors while we die. 

Through Christ, our living head.' 



AND GUARDIAN. 4 31 

"•That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so 
mig-l.it grace reign, through righteousness, unto 
eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.' Rom. v, 21. 
'For the .wages of sin is death; but the gift of 
God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord/ 
Rom. vi, 23. 

*0 death! where is thy sting? 
O grave! where is thy victory? 

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is 
the law, but thanks be to God, who giveth us the 
victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, 
my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immoveable, 
always abounding in the work of the Lord, foras" 
much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in 
the Lord.' 1 Cor. xv, J5, 58. 

And therefore, Christian, is it not your privilege* 
— your honor — your glory, to 'bear about in your 
body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also 
of Jesus may be made manifest in your inorta, 
flesh?' — to 'know him, and the power of his resur- 
rection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, that 
you may be made conformable to his death?' — to 
•Follow him in the regeneration, that you may sit 
with him in his kingdom ?J — to overcome the wick- 

* John xv, 20. Iioiim xv. 5. 1 Cor. ii, 2, and x 9 
31, 33. 2 Cor. i, 5. Phil, i, 29, and hi, 19. Col. hi, 
1,4. 

q9 



432 CHRISTIANAS GUIDE 

ed one — to overcome the world — to overcome 
yourself— to have every thought brought into cap- 
tivity to the obedience of Christ, that you may live 
and reign with him forever; that when Christ, who 
is your life, shall appear, you may also appear with 
him in glory ? 

And what is the language of your heart, in the 
full view of death, judgment and eternity? Can 
you adopt the language of the poet. 

'Jesus! lover of my soul, 
Let me to thy bosom fly, 

While the raging billows roll- 
While the tempest still is nigh ! 

Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, 

Till the storm of life *s past; 
Safe into the haven guide; 

O, receive my soul at last ? 

'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Acts vii, 59. This 
was the prayer of the martyr Stephen. Ami 
heaven was opened to receive him! Thus *th« 
righteous have hope in their death.' 'A hope full 
of immortality and everlasting life.' Prov. xiv, 32. 
2 Tim 

'A hope, so much divine, 
May trials we! 1 endure — 



AND GUARDIAN. 433 

>fay purge our souls, from sense and sin, 
As Christ the Lord is pure !' 

Christian reader, what does thy Lord and Master 
now say to thee? 'Where I am, there shall also 
my servant* he.' Therefore, 'fight the good fight 
of faith, lay hold on eternal life!' 'And this is life 
eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus 
Christ, whom thou hast sent.' And again he says 
unto thee, 'be thou faithful unto death, and I will 
give thee a crown of life.' 

And thus, fellow-traveller to eternity, we have 
endeavored to deal plainly and faithfully with thee: 
and thou must acknowledge, that 'faithful are the 
words of a friend;' and that it is no less evident, 
that 'the kisses of an enemy are deceitful:' and that 
thou wilt not, therefore, be angry with us, or con- 
sider us as an enemy, because we 'tell thee the 
truth!' For this is what the God of truth requires 
of us. And therefore, 'God forbid,' that we should 
say, 'peace, peace, when there is no peace?' or 
that we should 'daub the wall with untempered 
mortar!' For then, how dreadful would be our 
condition! Behold, 'the Judge standeth at the 
door!' And Christian reader, we say to thee,let 
us 'gird up the loins of our mind— be sober — and 

* John xii, 26. 1 Tim. vi, 12. Rev. ii, 10. John 
xvii, 3. Uohnv, 11. Rev. iii, 31. 



4 34 christian's guide 

hope to the end, — let us have our lamps trimmed, 
and our lights brightly burning — let us 'grow in 
grace and knowledge' — let us 'abound more and 
more' in every good word and work; and let us be 
'followers of them who through faith and patience 
inherit the promises.' 

'And now, brethren, we commend you to God 
and the word of his grace, which is able to build 
you up, and to give you an inheritance among all 
them whi :h a-e sanctified,' through 'our Lord Jesus 
Christ/ 'the way. the truth and the life,' and 'who 
of God is made unto us, wisdom and righteousness, 
and sanctification and redemption, and to whom, 
with the Father and the Holy Spirit, shall be glory 
and majesty, dominion and power, thanksgiving 
and praise forever and ever — Amen. 

CONCLUDING PRAYER FOR THE DIVINE 
BLESSING. 

Almighty and eternal Jehovah! we now look to 
thee for thy Holy Spirit, to enlighten and influence 
our minds — to renovate our hearts — to enable us to 
set our affections on things above, and not on things 
on the earth; that the glorious gospel may be to us 
the savor of life unto life, and not of death unto 
death — that we may receive the truth in the love 
©f it, and be conformed to thy will and word in all 



AND GUARDIANo 435 

things^ 1 Oh! 'send out thy light and thy truth-^ 
let them lead us — let them bring us to thy holy 
hill and to thy tabernacles!' *With thee is the 
fountain of life, and in thy light we shall see light! 
In thy presence there is fulness of joy; and at thy 
right-hand there are pleasures forevermore.' 'Our 
heart and our flesh will fail us; but thou art the 
strength of our heart, and wilt be our portion for-, 
everi* 'And to whom shall we go, but unto thee* 
Thou hast the words of eternal life!' And we 
Would not live to ourselves, but unto thee. Oh, 
'unite our hearts to fear thy name, and quicken us 
according to thy word, that no iniquity may have, 
dominion over us;' and that we may * walk before 
thee unto all well-pleasing, be fruitful in every 
£ood work, increase in divine knowledge, and 
bring forth all those fruits of righteousness, which 
are through Jesus Christ to thy praise and glory'! 
And to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, shall be ail 
the praise and glory forever and ever — Amen. 

*To God the Father, God the Son, 
And God the Spirit* three in one. 

Be honor, praise and glory given, 
By all on earth, and all in heaven.* 



APPENDIX A. 

Conscience, or as some would say, 'The moral 
sense.' But what is conscience? That power or 
faculty of the mind by which we both clearly * 
perceive and approve what is right, as contradis- 
tinguished from what is wrong; what is good as the 
opposite to what is evil. — 'But,' says an objector* 
you cannot prove that we have a conscience, by 
which we can be assured, that we clearly perceive 
and approve what is right, &.c. For in different 
countries, very different usages prevail, usages of 
a moral character, and what you would denominate 
of a good or bad moral character; but they respect- 
ively, verily believe them to be accordant to a cor- 
rect moral standard!-)- Is it not evident, therefore, 

* A clear perception is necessarily implied in 
our approval or disapproval of whatever is present- 
ed to our consideration yet we might, for the sake 
of contradistinction, define conscience to be the 
reflecting faculty of the mind, which approves or 
condemns, either our general course of moral ac- 
tion or any particular case or action brought for- 
ward. But we would endeavor to avoid being hy- 
percritical. 

f See Moral Standard, chap, v, prefatory note* 



438 APPENDIX, 

that they cannot all be right? And what becomei 
of your definition of conscience, which as it would 
appear applies to all countries to the human fami- 
ly? Put again. You say, that you cannot omitj 
what you consider to be a duty, without wounding 
your conscience: your conscience would instantly 
reprove you; and if you did Hot attend to your 
monitor, you would be self-condemried. Now, 
though I am precisely situated like yourself, and, 
as I should suppose, under the very same moral 
obligations with yourself, yet I neither perceive 
nor approve of what you consider and believe to 
be a duty. In other words, it does not appear to 
me to be a duty; and therefore I cannot approve 
of it as a duty; and by natural consequence, I am 
not self-condemned for not performing what I do 
not believe to be a duty. But you believe it to be 
a duty, although I do not perceive any difference 
between your moral position and my own: the same 
objects, the same facts, the same evidence, the same 
examples, &c. are before us. Here then we are 
at issue. And therefore t again inquire, what be_ 
comes of your definition of conscience, which to 
be true, must equally apply to every tribe and na- 
tion in the whole world.' The reader will at once 
perceive, that we have staied the objection as 
strongly as possible, and why ? Because we would 
'eome to the light/ that, if wrong, 'cur deeds,' (a* 



APPENDIX, 43$ 

well as our views opinons, and belief,) may be 
reproved.' John, iii, 20. 

This premised, we reply, that as light must ap- 
pear to Uf, as light, unless we are physically blind; 
so moral truth, according* to the moral light of our 
dispensation, must appear to us as moral truth, un- 
less we are morally blind!* And that all the so- 
phistry in the world (we cannot conscientiously 
say reasoning",) cannot prove the contrary. We 
dare not diverge from this position for a moment. 
If we did, we should virtually if not confesediy, 
bid farewell to right reason. And right reason 
we see and feel assured, accords with revelation. 
]lom. ii, 14, 15. 'Why, then, 'J proceeds the ob- 
jector, 'do so many individuals, and communities, 
respectively f furnished with the same means of 
information, and placed under the same moral ob- 
ligations, differ so widely from each other }' We 
reply because while some follow the moral light, 
others resist it, or prefer walking in moral dark- 
ness. John iii, 19. Rom. i, 18,25. And therefore 
the Source of all moral light, says to us, 'while ye 
have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the 
children of light.' John xii, 36. If not, what can 

* See the introducton. 

f The moral light which is common to their re- 
spective dispensations. 



4 40 APPENDIX. 

we expect to follow? For he that is in darkness, 
(he that resists moral light and truth, or is conform- 
ed to moral darkness, and falsehood,) Svaikcth in 
darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, be- 
cause that darkness hath blinded his eyes.' 1 John 
ii, 11 But he that cometh to the light, (he that 
yields to the light and force of divine truth, and 
to all the light and force of rational evidence and 
ccnviction,)s hall not walk in darkness. John iii, 
21 and xii, 46. 

Hence we distinguish between a pure and an 
impure conscience, as well as between what is 
right and wrong, abstractedly considered. 2 Tim. 
•, 3. And we are equally assured, that 'to the 
pure (all who' have a pure conscience,) all tilings 
(all things that are right) are pure; but to them 
that are denied and unbelieving (although the 
lght of truth and evidence is before them,) there 
*s nothing pure,' for 'even their mind and con- 
science are defiled.' Titus i, 15. Hence a woe 
is pronounced upon them: 'Woe unto them that 
Call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for 
light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for 
sweet and sweet for bitter!' 'woe unto them that 
are (thus) wise in their own eyes, and prudent in 
their own sight.' Is. v, 20, 21. tat. xi, 25. 1 
Cor. i, 20, 21. And hence they are alike deceivers 
and self-deceived. 2 Tim. iii.. 13, an«l that '\ 'ith all 



APPENDIX, 441 

the deceivablenes of unrighteousness, because they 
received not the truth in the love of it, that they 
might be saved, 2 Thes. ii, 10, 12. And therefore 
they 'resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, repro. 
bate concerning the faith* 2 Tim. hi, 8 and "'speak- 
ing lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience sear- 
ed/ [as] with a hot iron.' 1 Tim. iv. 2. 

And therefore we should be more especially 
careful to distinguish between a pure and an im- 
pure conscience; between one that is awake and 
one that is asleep; between one that is true to its 
charge, and one that is false to its charge, and in 
fine between one that is conformed to moral Ugh* 
and truth, and one that resists moral light and truth, 
till it becomes benumbed or seared, and 'calls evil 
good, and good evil and puts darkness for light, ani 
light for darkness.' And we thus account for the 
great difference, in this very important respect, be- 
tween different persons, communities and nations: 
and we thus 'commend ourselves to every man's 
conscience in the sight of God.' Rom. \ >d 20, 22. 
Gen. vi, 12. Deut. xx, 16, 18. ik i, 3, 4, and 
xxvi. 2. 2 Cor. iv, 2. And we are also assured* 
that the most seared consciences, will at length re- 
sume their vital energy; that they will at length per- 
form their office; that they will at length speak out' 
in the most terrific tones! and if in this world, it may 
not, perhaps, be too late! Butif * * But let 



442 APPENDIX. 

us hope that they may recover themselves out of 
the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by 
him at his will.' 2 Tim. ii 26. 
*0 treach'rous conscience! while she seems to 

sleep, 
On rose and m) rtie. lulled with Siren song; 
While she seems nodding o'er her charge, 
To drop on headlong appetite the slackened rein, 
And give us up to licence unrecalled, 
Unmask'd, — see, from behind her secret stand, 
The sly informer minutes every fault, 
And her dread diary with horror fills.' 

And what a dreadful catalogue she will at length 
present to the mind! And therefore, 'awake 
thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and, 
Christ shall give the light.' Eph. v. 14. 'Hear in- 
struction, and be wise, and refuse it not.' If thou 
be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; Prov. viii, 
33, but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.* 
Prov. ix, 12. 

Awake, ye fools: be wise! 

Before that dreadful morn arise ! 

Change your vain thoughts, your crooked works 

amend; 
Fly to the Saviour, make the Judge your friend.' 
And then you will 'draw nigh to God,' to the 
^throne of his grace and mercy,' having your 



APPENDIX. 443 

hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience;' and you 
will endeaverto maintain 'a conscience void of of- 
fence toward God and toward man:' and you wil* 
be enabled to rejoice in the testimony of your con- 
science; that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not 
with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, you 
have your conversation in the world: That you 
are conformed to his will and word, and glorify 
him in your bodies and spirits, which are his by 
creation and redemption. Ileb. x, 22. Acts xxiv, 
16, 2 Cor i, 12. Rom. xii, 1. 1 Cor. vi, 20. 
' The power of conscience has been very often 
and signally evinced: so true it is, that 'the spirit 
of a man will sustain his infirmities; but a wound- 
ed spirit who can bear?' Prov. xviii 14. But while 
impenitent sinners are in the enjoyment of health 
and strength, they are unhappily disposed to 'put 
far away the evil day. 5 Amos vi, 3. But though 
they are so callous to moral am! Christian reproofs 
and instructions, and so much disposed to resist 
the light of evidence and conviction, they are not 
un frequently eagle-eyed with regard to every visi- 
ble" step that is taken by professors of religion: 
quick to discern and eager to condemn, whatever 
appears to be a departure from the moral standard, 
as though that could justify them for neglecting 
religion. Should it not be evident to them, that 
so far as regards this or that man, 'to his own mas- 



444 APPENDIX. 

ter bestandeth orfalleth'? Rom. xiv, 4. But this 
is not considered ! hence so many groundless or fab- 
ricated reports have been circulated with avidity, 
and brought forward with Tan air of triumph, as 
though they would have said, (and in effect did 
say,) Aha, aha! our eye hath seen it.' Ps. xxxv, 21. 
And when it did not appear sufficiently promin- 
ent to justify assertion, they have virtually said, or 
said in their hearts, ah, so we would have it.' Ps. 
xxxv, 25. And yet they have evinced the greatest 
incredulity with regard to the test authenticated 
records in the world, and disregarded the most im- 
portant truths, and st 11 more and more silenced 
the self-reprover! Hut what does reason say to 
them? Be consistent in all things; review,, com- 
pare, examine free from all prejudice or preposes- 
sion that your judgment of men ;md things may be 
according to truth. And what does revelation say 
to them } See Ex. xxiii, 2. John vii 51, Matt, 
vii, 12. Ps. 1, 21. Ecc. xii, 14. 

Let Christians therefore 'take heed to them- 
selves/ and walk the more circumspectly,' that 
they may 'give no occasion to the adversaries to 
speak reproachfully,' nor 'blaspheme that worthy 
name by which they are called:' that 'their t-;ood 
may not be evil spoken of;' that they may be pre- 
pared for those who watch for their halting;' 'that 
by well doing they may put to silence the ignoiN 



APPENDIX. 445 

ance of foolish men, and constrain them to glorify 
God in the day of visitation;' that they may «be an 
example %) the believers, in word, in conversation 
in charity, in spirit in faith, in purity;' that they 
may blen I the wisdom of the serpent with the 
harmlessness of the dove, and adorn the doctrine 
of their God and Saviour in all things.' See 1 
Tim. iv, 16 and v, 14. James ii, 7. Rom. xiv, 16> 
17. Jer. x,x. 10. 1 Peter ii, 12, 15. 1 Tim. iv, 
12. Matt, x, 16. Titus, ii 10. And so prove to 
the worlds that though Christ is the end of the law 
for righteousness to every one that believeth. 
Rom. x, 4, yet 'the end of the commandment is 
charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good con- 
science, and of faith unfeigned.' I Tim. 1. 5. 

B 

HONOR. 

What is honor? We hear, we read, we speak 
of true honor — of false honor, but the question re- 
curs—What is honor? we might answer this ques, 
lion by another — What is principle? We distin- 
guish between aright principle and a wrong prin- 
ciple — between good principles and bad principles! 
Wlv.it then is honor — I rue honor — but the applica- 
tion — the operation — the exemplification of right 
principles in all the private, social and public de-r 
part-Bents of human life 3 



446 APPENDIX. 

Whatever accords with these principles is honor- 
able — the reverse is dishonorable! We infer^ 
therefore, that we have a universal-— all pervading 
principle — the root and groundwork of every cor- 
rect principle, and from which every correct 
principle proceeds, as good fruit from a rood 
tree — as pure streams from a pure fountain ! and 
here we have a criterion — sure, safe, unerring! It 
is not what can man devise ? Nor what is the stand- 
ard of honor erected by any man, country, or com- 
bination in the human family! It is not, cannot be, 
from the nature of things — left to conjecture! it 
cannot be like an ignis fat 'nus, misleading the unwa- 
ry traveller! It neither involves doubt nor dark- 
ness: It is like the meridian sun, clear, full, lumin- 
ous! 

Hence it must be obvious that true honor is not 
a 'puff" of noisy breath-,' — the slaking ofreputatiou 
upon a point — a mere punctilio; — that dishonor is 
not produced or occasioned by a departure from 
long prescription, when that prescription ci&e's iiot 
accord with the immutable principle to which \, o 
refer — to which we always shoukl refer! And the 
truly brave man, who is always true to himself- --u> 
his friends, to his country, to die world, will not, 
should not be excited, inflamed with passion, arid 
urged to mortal combat — because he has been mis- 
apprehended, or his motives impugned, os his 
principles assailed! Conscious rectitude will su«>- 



APPENDIX. 447 

tain him ! and he will -conquer himself.'— He will 
not he a coward!— for he will not diverge from the 
^rue principle of honor, nor bow to the shrine of 
false honor to save himself from an imputation 
which he does not deserve, vnd be driver, to art act 
which his soul abhors! 

And would it not be well for the world, if this" 
true principle of honor were universally received 
and acted upon? How much evil it would prevent! 
How much groundless suspicion and how many 
heart burnings it would remove! Let us descend to 
particulars. How much evil it would prevent! It 
would prevent every hasty or rash step from a false 
notion of honor! If any hasty or rash step should 
then be taken, it would be in consequence of yield- 
ing* to a depraved inclination, or sudden impulse of 
passion, or from exasperated feelings, which not 
unfrequently cloud the mind and darken the judg- 
ment even in opposition to every correct princi- 
ple, and the universal voice of society I But it must 
be evident, from a clear and distinct view of the 
force of public sentiment, and the removal of a 
false notion of honor from the mind — that innu- 
merable evils would be prevented, although many 
might remain to be deplored! In the next place, 
it would point out the falacy and unreasonableness 
of the erroneous idea which is very commonly en- 



448 APPENDIX* 

tertained that there is any thing- degrading or u(*« 
honoi*able in the acknowledgment of a fault, for a 
correct apprehension of the nature of true honor, 
precludes the idea! The fault itself abstractly 
considered, is a different case! Let us view it as 
clearly and distinctly as possible! We know thai 
we should avoid the bite of a venomous serpent; 
and that we should flee from the 'very appeurai.ee 
of evil.' But we will suppose, for the sake of illus- 
tration, that we have committed a fault, or made 
a mistake, cr taken an imprudent step, and what 
follows? It is either known or unknown with re- 
gard to those with whom we are connected., or 
those who are concerned, in a greater or less de- 
gree, if not altogether, with the fault, or mistake, 
or imprudent step, or whatever it may happen la 
be. Now, we will further sup.pose, that it is 
known! yet we recoil with honor from it, as tho* 
we would conceal ourselves, cr make it appear 
that after all, after the full view of the case, by eth- 
ers, as well as ourselves, that we did not commit 
the fault, &c. But why should we thus shrink 
from it, or endeavor to conceal it or appear as 
though we would conceal it, although it is known- 
Simply because we apprehend, or suppose, or 
yield to the idea, that it would be humiliating, or 
degrading, or dishonorable, to acknowledge—- 
What? Til at we have done wrong, or that wc wens 



APPENDIX. 44$ 

mistaken! And what is this but false honor? SO 
it was with Adam and Eve, after their transgres- 
sion, and how deplorably their posterity have imi- 
tated their unhappy example! Hence it may be 
justly considered: as one of the first and most 
deeply rooted evils of the human heart, and one of 
the last and most difficult to be removed. 

But should we not through divine grace, pluck 
out and throw away 'that abominable thing' that 
God hates, for 'every one that is proud in heart 
is an abomination to the Lord.' And is not pride 
of heart very justly connected with every clear and 
correct perception of false honor? * * * Let 
us, then, be open to the light of evidence and con^ 
viction, and receive the truth in the love of it, and 
put away from us 'the accursed thing' though it 
should be dear to us as 'a right eye, 1 or precious to' 
us as a 'right hand.' And let us ever bear in mind,- 
that true honor, that which cometh from God, that 
which Adam and Eve possessed before their fall, 
that it is as contrary to that false notion ofhonoiv 
which is so often entertained, and which Adam 
and Eve displayed after their fall, when they en- 
deavored to hide themselves from the presence of 
the Lord God among the trees of the garden. That 
jt is as contrary to it as light is to darkness, and as 
heaven is to hell! And let us therefore, endeayor r 
through divine grace, to be able to say with Joba» 



450 AP£EM>IX« 

•If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding 
my iniquity in my own bosom, &.c.' Job. xxxi, 33 # 
But again as we are so much shocked, at the 
very thought of making an acknowledgment, un- 
der a mistaken impression of the nature of true 
honor; how careful should we be to maintain 'a 
conscience void of offence toward God and toward 
mmX\ and to cherish by all means, (and therefore 
by a frank acknowledgment of a fault, as well as 
by all other means) the principles of true honor! 
For the sacred volume enjoins upon us — Not to do 
any thing' with partiality,' (unjust, false or errone- 
ous preference of one to another,) but in 'honor 
preferring one another;' and, as confirmation 
strong, we are enjoined to confess our faults one 
to another, and pray for one another:' and thus be 
'humbled under the mighty power of God— that 
he may exalt us in due time!' — that he may say to 
us, 'Friend come up higher;' that he may say so to 
us, when we have learned to be 'meek and lowly 
in heart;' when we are less than nothing in our 
own eyes:' when we are conforn^l to the divine 
will and word, and have in us 'the same mind that 
was in Christ Jesus!' — then and not till then, will it 
be safe for us to be so exalted. For then we shall 
see as w r e never did before, our own littleness, and 
the divine greatness! our own weakness, and the 
divine strength! our own folly, and the divine 



APPENDIX. 451 

wisdom! and our own innumerable debts, and total 
inability to pay; and the richness and freeness and 
fullness of divine grace, through our only Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ! — And so forward till we ar* 
rive at heaven our home, and there bring forward 
the topstone, and shout 'grace, grace upon it! J And 
then, (Oh happy conaumation! 'a consumation de- 
voutly to be wished;') we shall see and feel and 
know how and why the Lord hath tried us, and 
proved us, and shown us from time to time, and 
by degrees as we couid bear the sight, what wa* 
in our hearts! and thus tried us, and proved 
us, and shown us what was in our hearts by the 
various workings and exercises of our own 
minds! by all the trials and troubles, and tempta- 
tions and difficulties that we have met with in the 
world, by all the stripes and derisions, and misap- 
prehensions and heart-burnings that w r e have met 
with in the church, and by all the devices and 
snares and deep laid stratagems of the enemy of 
immortal souls. And then, if not now, we shall 
wonder and adore; and may net every Christian 
now sing — 

'Oh to grace, how great a debtor 
Daily I'm constraint to be, 

Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter, 
Bind my wand'ring heart to thee!' 



Rl 



452 APPENDIX. 

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE. 

True greatness, and therefore true honor, 13 al- 
ways connected with true humility. Sir Isaac 
Newton was a remarkable instance of true great- 
ness, and should serve as a beacon to the world. It 
would appear, indeed, that his humility was, 
through divine grace, in due proportion to his ele - 
vation, and that it would not, therefore, be too 
much to suppose (perhaps we should say believe,) 
that if he had unjustly, or unintentionally, injured a 
little chile, that he would not have deemed it de- 
rogatory to his remarkably clear and vivid percep- 
tion of true honor, to have asked the little child's 
pardon. For as true honor, true greatness — true 
humility — and whatever is true — (/ .vhatever things 
are lovely and of good report') perfectly accord 
with the eternal and immutable moral standard of 
the universe? so by natural consequence, every con- 
trary idea is indeed, beyond the possibility of a ra- 
tional doubt — truly degrading and therefore alike 
irrational and unscriptural. Let us, therefore, 
»eek the true 'honor that cometh from God only/ 
under the firm assurance and belief, that he is the 
author and giver of every good and perfect gift.* 

c 

THEiONE POINT.' 

^cr whosoever shall keep the whole law a»d jet 



APPENDIX. 453 

offend in one point, he- is guilty of all.' James ii, 
10. Whosoever shall keep, or appear to 'keep' the 
whole law, with the exception, &c. After what 
has been already* advanced upon the subject, we 
would remark, that a clear perception of this pas- 
sfege, would appear to preclude misapprehension, 
and that for this purpose, we should have distinct 
apprehension of the word 'keep* in its due connec- 
tion and bearings. Thus: we are enjoined to keep 
our hearts with all diligence; and not to keep them 
in certain respects and degrees. So the divine 
law does not allow of any abatement or diminution. 
It is eternally and invariably Vhe same, like its e- 
ternal and immutable author. And what follows? 
We are assured, that sin is the transgression of the 
kw,' 1 John, hi, 4. Not merely of one or two com- 
mandments, but of the whole law — the law of per- 
fect love to God and man! The commandments, 
indeed, are perfectly specifick, by way of adapta- 
tion to human comprehension, but the great and 
all pervading principle, is as we have seen, com- 
prised in a word 'perfect love to God, which pro- 
duces love to man. Hence in our Lord's reply to 
the quesion put to him by the lawyer, we are as- 
sured that perfect love is the fulfiling of the law : 

*S@e 4th chap. sec. 6th, note 2nd, 
r2 



454 APPENDIX. 

'Jesus said unto him, Thou shall love the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and 
with all thy mind. This is the first and great 
commandment. And the second is like* unto it, 
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these 
two commandments hang all the law and the pro- 
phets. " "Rom. xiii, 8, 10. Mat. xxii, 37, 40. 

"The second is like unto it. It flows from the 
same principle. And what follows? That we cannot 

* When a general idea is presented to the mind 
in different aspects, the atten'ion is not unfrequent- 
3y divided; yet the idea, and the principle which it 
involves, are immutably the same. This is em- 
phatically the case with the all important subject 
before us. Hence the divine word declares, that 
if a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, 
he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom 
he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath 
not seen.' 1 John, iv, 20. But what does the love 
of our brother, of our neighbor — of the human fa- 
mily imply,; * * * Again. — What does the 
ove of God imply? That we keep his command- 
ments. "If ye love me keep my commandments.' 
John xiv, 15. And hence we return to the gener- 
al principle, after following it through all its bear- 
ings and ramifications; 4 lovc is the fulfilling of the 
law:' and the want of love in any kind respect or 
degree, is, the 'transgression of the law.' 'For 
(as) all the. law is fulfiled in one word, even in this, 
lhou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,' So all the 
law is transgressed by one sin. Hence the divine 
declaration T the scul thai sinrcth shall die." Gal.v# 
.14. Ez. xviii, 20. 



APPENDIX. 455 

transgress any commandment, without transgres- 
sing* the whole law! But let us for example, a- 
gain consider the application of the principle to ei- 
ther table of the law. Thus 'whatsoever hateth 
his brother is a murderer:' and this is the opposite 
to 'he thatloveth his brother.' And we have seen 
that the transgression of either table of the law in- 
volves the transgression of the other: He that 
loves God loves his brother also.' 1 John iv. 21. 
Let us now for the sake of further illustration, des- 
cend to particulars. — 1st. If we do not render un- 
to the Lord the service and glory due unto his 
name we have robbed him, 'ye have robbed me, 
even this whole nation-' Mai. \jiii, 9. 2nd. Have 
we coveted any thing? Conscience replies in the 
affirmative: and the word of God declares that wc 
are idolaters. Col. iii, 5, 3d Have we never taken 
the name of God in vain? * * * 4th How 
have we observed the Sabbath? have we 'remem- 
bered to keep it holy?' Have we 'called it a de- 
light, the holy of the Lord, and honorable?' and 
have we so 'honored him, not doing according to 
our own ways, nor finding our own pleasure, nor 
speaking our own words!' *" * * And if our 
limits did not forbid, we might thus consider every 
commandment: but it appears to be sufficient, under 
this head to preclude misapprehension, with equal 
regard to the word 'keep,' and whatever is implied 



456 APPENDIX. 

in the transgression of the perfect law* of love. And 
henoe it must be evident to us, that all the world 
are guilty before God; that by the deeds of the 
law no flesh can be justified in his sight; and that 
salvation is of free grace, through faith in our Lord 
Jesus Christ. — Rom. hi, 20, 22. Gal. ii, 16, and 
hi, 22, 24. 

D 

THE CHURCH OF GOD, THE CHURCH OF 
THE FAITHFUL ON EARTH. 

This church the true church militant has existed 
to all ages of the world, though not unfrequently 
very much obscured, as in the time of Elijah the 
prophet, when he exclaimed, while persecuted by 
his enemies, 'And I, even I only, am left, and they 
seek my life to take it away.' 'But what saith the 
answer of God unto him? — I have reserved to my- 
self seven thousand men, who have not bowed the 
knee to the image of Baal.' and let us look back 
to the patriarchs, both before and after the flood. 
How small in number! 'a little flock in the world'* 
wide wilderness;' and often, like their Lord and 
Master — 'despised and rejeeted of men;' — 'they 
were stoned, th^y were sawn assunder, were temp- 
ted, were slain with the sword, they wandered a- 
hout in sheep-skins and goat-skins; being destitute 
afflicted, tormented; (of whom the woild was not 



APPENDIX. 457 

worthy.) They wandered in deserts, and in moun- 
tains, and in dens and caves of the earth ." Read 
the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, a most pre- 
cious epitome of sacred history. Here we see the 
'patience and faith, of the saints' exemplified. 
These are they that counted not their lives dear 
unto themselves! they cheerfully went 'through 
evil report, as well as g*cod report,' as deceivers 
and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as 
having" nothing" and yet possessing all things!' 'Ye 
and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suf- 
fer persecution.' But evil men and seducers 
shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and be* 
ing deceived.' Let Christians, then 'hold fast 
the begining of their confidence — steadfast unto 
the end;' 'and the followers of them who thro* fa r th 
and patience inherit the promises.' But again* — 
The church of God is emphatically the salt of the 
earth! and but for it, judgments would be often 
inflicted, which are mercifully withheld. Read 
the fourteenth chapter of Numbers. — Yes the Lord 
has a praying people upon the earth; and 'the sin- 
ners in Zion' do not know how much they are in- 
debted to them; But let them know that 'he that 
toucheth them, tcucheth the apple of God's eye 
'Vengeance belongeth unto me and I will repay 
taith the Lord.' Let us look at Sodom and Gomor- 
rah* If ten righteous men had been found in ihera 



45S APPENDIX. 

they would have been spared for their sakcs, al- 
though they were 'sinners before the Lord exceed - 
dinghy!' But we must also view the Church of 
God in its present aspect, or with special regard to 
the rejection of the Jews from the pale of the visi- 
ble church, in consequence of their unbelief, and 
the reception of the gentiles in their stead through 
faith in the Messiah. 

We read, (Acts xiii, 44, 47) that Paul and Barn- 
abas preached the gospel to the gentiles at Anti- 
pch; that the whole city came together to hear the 
word of God; but that the Jews that were among 
them were filled with envy, and spake against those 
things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting 
and blaspheming;' And 'then Paul and Barnabas 
waxed bold, and said' it was necessary that the 
word of God should first have been spoken to you: 
but seeing you put it] from t you and judge your- 
selves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn ta 
the gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, 
saying, I have set thee to be a light of the gentiles 
that thou shouldst be for salvation unto the ends 
of the earth.' And therefore the disciples were 
first called Christians at Antioch. But why was it ne- 
cessary that the word of God should first have been 
spoken to the Jews?' Because the visibly organiz- 
ed church was then among them. And therefore* 
the Lord Jesus charged his apostles to 'preach 



APPENDIX. 459: 

repentance and remission of sins among all nations, 
beginning 1 at Jerusalem. 5 Further, the apostle 
Paul informs us, in the tenth chapter to the Ro- 
mans, 'that his heart's desire and praj er to God fcr 
Israel was that they might be saved. 'For 1 bear 
them record,' he continued, 'that they have a zeal 
of God, but not according to knowledge. For, 
they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and 
going about to establish their own righteousness 
have not submitted themselves unto the righteous- 
ness of God. For Christ is the law for righteous- 
ness to every one that believeth.' What shall we 
say then? That the gentiles who followed not af- 
ter righteousness,' (as contradistinguished from 
the Jewish visible church) 'have attained to right- 
eousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 
But Israel, which followed after the law of right- 
eousness, hath not attained to the law of righteous- 
ness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by 
faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For 
they stumbled at that stumbling stone;" as it is 
written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling-stone 
and rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him 
shall not be ashamed.' See Chap, ix, 30, 33. It 
is manifest, therefore, that as the Jews were de- 
prived of their peculiar privileges through unbe- 
lief; so the gentiles received the promise of the 
Spirit through faith, and were therefore constitute 



460 A^rENDIX, 

ed the visibly organised church of God. Hence 
the apostolic caution to the gentile church, then 
the true Christian church. 'If God spared not the 
natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not 
thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity 
of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward 
thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodness, 
otherwise thou shalt also be cut off. And they al- 
so, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graft- 
ed in; for God is able to graft them in again.' Here, 
then, we have* the brief scriptural history of the 
the church of God upon earth, are we members of 
this spiritual church? — or are we still in unbe- 
lief, 'aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strang- 
ers to the -covenant of promise, having no hope 
and without God in the world?" 

E 

SCENES IN AFRICA. 

"We believe and therefore speak, 2 Cor. iv. 15, 
And 'that which we have seen and heard declare we 

* The church of God, in the more general accep- 
tation of this all important appellation-- necessarily 
includes the church.militant and the church trium- 
phant: — The church of our Lord Jesus Christ, — of 
v horn the whole family in heaven and earth are 
called. But our present design must be obvious; 
The history of the church of God upon the earth. 



APPENDIX, 4(51 

to you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and 
truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his 
scm Jesus Christ,' 1 John i, 3 'Ethiopia sh&Jl 
stretch forth her hands unto God." Amidst trials 
and obstacles of various kinds, and peculiar priva- 
tions, and great and frequent suffering's, much, 
very much was experienced by the faithful mission- 
ary in the dark regions of western Africa, so long" 
ago as 1816, to cheer his heart and impel him for- 
ward as a pioneer in the great work of his Lord 
and Master! Ye sable sons of western Africa ! ye 
can bear witness to these well known and heart 
thrilling facts! Oh with what joy ye welcomed the 
missionary to your shores! 'He is come, he is come 
he is come! And how ye flocked to the standard 
of the cross! and with what rapture ye sang — 
Jesus sought me whan a stranger, 
Wand'ring from the fold of God.' 

And the Missionary could not regret that he had 
left his country, home and friends, for what pur- 
pose? — To find a country, home and friends in 
your very midst! But ye will not forget what he 
met with in many parts of your benighted country. 
Having been very often mal-treated by the white 
man, they could not imagine that any whiteman in- 
tended to do them good. Now look at him* when 

* T lie IteV. Mr, Bucher, 



482 APPENDIX. 

iick and oppressed, he lay extended in his little 
cabin, — when witJiout the comforts -of life, when 
a leopard took away his only goat! and, when 
weary and faint in his mind — he foreboded gloomy 
thing's! When he inferred that he was not in his 
proper place, — that lie should not have come to 
Africa! — But then, evui then — his divine Master 
was near him! to sustain his drooping" head — to 
speak peace to his troubled mind — to impart to 
him the consolations of the gospel! 'Be thou 
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of 
life,' came like a cordial to his spirits! reverberated 
through his mind, dispelled every gloomy thought, 
All was light and peace and joy! The desert of 
Africa appeared like the garden cf Ecen. Glad- 
ness of heart was come! 'and sorrow and sighing 
had fled away!' Might he not have inferred that 
his friends in England were praying for him? Once 
more — for we are painfully compelled to hasten to 
a conclusion!— behold another Missionary of the 
cross, just returned from a visit to his native land. 
His arrival is announced! His spiritual children 
flock to the beach; The tidings spread from house 
to house — from town to town! — Mr. Johnson is 
come — and even the domestic servants exclaimed 
— Oh master, master, do pray, master! let me go 
and see Mr, Johnson' Master could not refuse! O 
no ! Who could ?— And^what greetings followed ! 



appendix. 463 

what mutual congratulations! — Many bad died du- 
ring" his absence! Yet many remained to meet him 
on his return. 



It is manifest from various sources, and from the 
most unexceptionable testimony, that the great 
TEMPERANCE CAUSE,*— the. common cause of 
God and humanity; and SUNDAY SCHOOLS! 
are indeed most assuredly among the most impor- 
tant and the most successful harbingers to the glad 
tidings of the gospel of peace. Facts abound. f 
The following general statements are from 'The 
ninth Annual Report of the American Sunday 
School Union.' — 'During the nine years which are 
this day completed, there have been established in 
connection with our society, or by its direct agen- 
cy, not less than 14, 550 schols; in which 109,000 
teachers have laboured gratuitously, and in many 
cases at the sacrifice of health and even life, in the 
instruction of 760,000 scholars. Of these schools 
2,393, embracing 13, 1) 8 teachers, and 45,688 
scholars have been formed during the last year. 
We have in this view a steady annual increase for 

* See the Invaluable reports of the American. 



Temperance S< 


•ciety,' 










-f See Ap~c: 


idte G 


and 


Sund 


ay S. 


Journal, 


and religious na 


ipers ge 


n©i:al] 


v. 







46 4 APPENDIX. 

the nine years of 1600 schools, 12000 teachers, and 
' £4,000 pupils. There have been added to the 
church of our Lord Jesus Christ, from schools con- 
nected with us, not less, probably, than 20,000 
teachers and 30,000 scholars, hence the following 
very just and natural inference: 'in this view of the 
past we affirm, that whatever shall be the history 
cf Sunday schools in this or any other country; 
nay, more, if every vestige of their influence and 
progress were obliterated in this very hour, save 
that which is beyond the reach of time and change; 
the record of their & lory would still be seen and 
read on every side, and in every quarter of the 
globe. But so far from a decline in interest or 
prosperity, it is evident that the institution on the 
whole is steadily advancing.' We have not aVtaand 
the means of ascertaining the number of teachers 
and scholars embraced in other unions and socie- 
ties, nor the numbers that have been added to the 
respective churches, but we have no doubfr that 
tli£ number of both is considerable, and highly en- 
couraging. The communications from Sunday 
schools in the Christian Advocate and Journal, and 
©the*' religious payers, are extremely interesting, 
and calculated to excite loth teachers and scholars, 
t aad all the friends of Sunday Schools, of whatever 
Evangelical name and denomination, to the most 
strenuous and persevering efforts in the g^eat m& 



APPENDIX. 



456 



good common cause in which they are respective* 
]v engaged. Go on, beloved friends of every 
Christian name and denomination. Go on till there 
is a sunday school in e\;ery neighoorhood, and a 
Bethel in every house! till the knowledge of our 
common Lord and Master shall cover the earth 'as 
the waters cover the sea,' and till all shall know 
him, from the least until the greatest*' In our heav- 
enly Father's house there is bread enough and t© 
spare. 

*The advantages resulting from the social study 
of the sacred scriptures are incalculable. Here 
*e have in the greatest prolusion, milk for babes 
and strong meat for those whose minds have beers 
long and profitably exercised in searching the 
scriptures. The following extract commends it- 
self to the head and heart of every Christian; 

'For some years past, we have found persons o£ 
more mature* age resorting to our sabbath schools, 
than heretofore visited them.' 'This remark ap- 
plies particularly to that department which is ap- 
propriately termed the bible class. This feature m 
the signs of the times must be particularly gratifying 
to the enlightened Christian. 

Are Christians ever too old to learn, particularly 
when the text book is the word of God? Does not 
every follower of our Lord delight to go to the law 
and to the testimony, and contemplate the charac- 
ter of God, and learn his will, and meditate on the 
great things which the Lord Jesus Christ has. dons 
for him, and in this manner have his understanding" 
enlarged his affections softened and purified, and 
his faith strengthened?' And those christians wh<» 



^66 APPENDIX. 

G 

THE GREAT ^TEMPERANCE CAUSE, 

•Keep thyself pure.'* Tim., v. 22. 1 

'Be thou an example of the believers.' 1 Tim. iv> 
12. 

•Abstain from all appearance of evil.' 1 Thess* 
V, 22. The voice of reason proclaims— Do thy 
self no hurt, do tliv neighbor no injury. Do good? 
and not evil, all the days of thy life! And the 
voice of conscience proclaims, do not plant a thorn 
in thy pillow, do not place a worm in the root of 
thy enjoyment- do not gratify ambition, honor, 
avarice, or whatever this short enduring world can 
give at the most dreadful expense of 'treasuring up 
for thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and rev- 
elation of the righteous judgment of God. ? And 
we have seen whatrevelation enjoins; and from this 
tribunal there is no appeal! 

And we most solemnly aver — that our position is 
most amply sustained — by reason — by conscience 

have families, will find themselves much better a- 
1)!e to obey the command— to bring up their chil- 
dren in the fear of* the Lord; when they have been 
careful to search the scriptures and compare one 
part of .then? with an oil iej ; an .' particularly if this 
be done with a sen$£ of c ependence on our heaven- 
ly Father, and fervent prayer fcr his assistance 



APPENDIX. 467 

by scripture! that a flood of light is poured upon 
us from all quarters, which leaves all without ex- 
cuse — but professed Christians more especially! 
For if we open our eyes we must see; if we unstop 
our ears, we must hear; if we unbar our bosoms 
we must feel, that intemperance is a most dreadful 
scourge — that it is productive of woes innumerable, 
that it seaths, and envenoms and demoralizes, and 
proves to be the curse of curses to both body and 
soul, and for both time and eternity! But we have 
only time and space sufficient to glance upon it! 
The following facts however, will serve as a clue to 
the reader: they need no comment, they speak vol- 
umes. Let their voice therefore, be" heard and o- 
beyed ! Let every friend to humanity — r>nd there- 
fore, by natural consequence, every Christian; in 
a word every good citizen, see and know and feel 
it to be his duty — not to taste touch norhandle 'the 
accursed thing! 5 not to countenance or connive at 
any of the forms or "modes in which it is so mis- 
kindly presented to the babe in the cradle — to the 
blooming school-boy — to the 'welcome visitor — to 
■the weary traveller — to the broken down labourer, 
to — shall we say — the pall-bearer? We dare not! 
it is too shocking! — we recoil from it! It has, alas 
for our country! for the world, the foul and hydra- 
headed monster has sent too many— too many hun- 
Sl 



468 APPENDIX. 

reds of thousands — to the grave — to the drunk- 
ard's grave — to the pit of endless perdition! Yet 

High in a scroll, inscribed on nature's shrine. 

Live, in bright characters, the words divine — 

In all life's changing scenes to others do — 

What you would wish by others done to you. 

Winds, wide o'er earth; this sacred law convey: 

Ye nations here it — and let all obey.' 

1st By the facts presented in the 'Fourth Report 
of the American Temperance Society,' the follow- 
ing truths are established: 1st, Ardent spirit as a 
drink is not needful. 

2nd. It is not useful. 

3d. It is a poison which injures both the body 
and the mind. And this results not merely from 
the great and increasing quantity of the liquor 
which may be taken, but from the kind. It is a 
liquor which is injuiious in its nature, and which 
cannot be taken without harm. 

4th. It impairs, and often destroys reason. 

5th. It lessens the power of motives to do right. 

6th. It strengthens the power of motives to d» 
wrong. 

7th. It tends to bring all who use it to a prema- 
ture grave; and usher those who understand its na- 
ture and effect, and yet continue to drink it, or to 
Jurnish it as a drink for others, into a miserable c- 
ternity. From these truths, all of which are es- 



i 



APPENDIX. 469 

tablished by numerous and indubitable facts, it fol- 
lows — that to use ardent spirit as a drink, or to 
manufacture, buy, sell, or in any way furnish it as a 
drink for others is a sin* and in magnitude equal 
to all the evils temporal and eternal, which it tends 
to produce! 

2nd. It must be obvious that all drunkards are 
formed by mod. rate drinking! Should any one, 
therefore presume upon his own strength? 

3d. The annual number of deaths by intempe- 
rance is truly appalling: — some years ago, accord- 
ngto a moderate computation — the number could 
not be less than thirty thousand annually: 

4th. The Arabians, after a specimen of its effects 
would not allow it xo be manufactured in their 
country, but expressed a wish, seconded by a cor- 
responding effort, that it might be manufactured 
throughout Christendom, as it would be likely to 
counteract the progres of the Christian religion! 
I low awfully their wish has been gratified — let the 
records of Christendom declare! 

5th, The emperor of China has forbidden it to 
be sold to the nominal christian, because it makes 
him demoralize the heathen, and sinks him too low 
even to associate with them. 

6th. It is acknowledged that three-fourths of all 
the pauperism in our country, four-fifths of all ag- 
gravated crime, one half of all madness, one half of 



470 APPENDIX. 

all sudden deaths, and one-fourth of all deaths of 
persons above twenty years of age, are caused by 
g pirituous liquors! 

Let us now look at the beneficial influence of 
temperance societies, of which there are no less 
than 2,200, and embracing more than 170,000 
members. These members have been constantly 
increasing-, and have in many cases, been more 
than doubled since they were reported. There 
are also numerous societies which have been form- 
ed, and some of them embracing* large districts of 
country, not contained in the above list, and from 
which no returns have been received. From the 
influence of these societies, and from other causes, 
it is calculated— that 1,200,000* of all classes of 
society are now experiencing- the benefit of the 
temperance reformation. And it is fairly calculated 
from unexceptionable data, that 50,000 of the a- 
bove might have been drunkards, and 1,150,000 
habitual drinkers, down through all future genera- 
tions to the end of the world. And let it net be 
forgotten, that more than 8800 of those who now 
abstain, actually were drunkards; who, should tht-y 
continue their present course, will have been saved 
with a great salvation. It has also been ascertained 

* The date of these calculations, is much later 
than was supposed. The numbers must have in- 
creased considerably. 



APPENDIX. 471 

that more than 4000 merchants have ceased to traf- 
fic in the poison, and that more than 1500 distiller- 
ies, have been stopped: and since January 1, 1830, 
more than 150 vessels have sailed from the port of 
Boston, which do not carry ardent spirit; and it is 
believed that there are now afloat on the ocean, 
more than 400 of this description. 

From the forgoing 1 and many other calculations; 
it is very justly inferred, that, should all the inhab- 
itants of the United States cease to use intoxicating" 
liquor, the following would be some of the benefi- 
cial l esults : 

1 . Not an individual would hereafter become a 
drunkard . 

2nd. Many who are now drunkards, would re- 
form, and would be saved from the drunkard's 
grave. 

3d. As soon as those who would not reform shall 
be dead, which would be but a short time, not a 
drunkard would be found, and the whole land 
would be free! — free from infinitely more than 
Egyptian bondage — and more than blessed with 
more than Republican LIBERTY! And then— 
what a prospect! — what a barrier to innumerable 
vices! what a rapid progression in every good 
cause, till temperance, and intelligence, and vir- 
tue, and religion, would go to and fro, and up 
and down in the earth- — diffusing unnumbered 
blessings around — till every solitary place would 



Alt APPESlttX. 

be made glad for them, and till every desert wouM 
rejoice and blossom as the rose! Is it net 'a con- 
sumation devoutly to be wished" and for which ev- 
*ry effort should be most assuredly and continual- 
ly made? 

And is it not evident — does not the sacred vol- 
ume declare, 'Thou shalt in any wise reprove thy 
brother, and not suffer sin upon him' — not How it 
to'restupon him, nor to fester thy own conscience, 
but endeavor to remove it? And wilt thou say, 
'Am 1 my brother's keeper?' Who is thy keeper, 
and what has he enjoined upon thee? Love thy 
neighbor as thyself — make his cause, his welfare, 
his happiness, thy own! Deny thyself for his sake, 
t :.ke up every cross for his good, remove every 
stumbling block out of his way, and make straight 
paths for your feet! And so become all things to 
all men — in the true light of reason, conscience 
and revelation — that you may by all means be in- 
strumental of good to some! and be able to say, 
with the great apostle of the gentiles — in all things, 
at all times: and in all places — 'And I will very 
gladly spend and be spent for you; though the mora 
abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.' 

And so shall grace, mercy, and peace be with 
you, from God our Father, through our Lord Jetua 
Christ, to whom with the Holy Spirit of ail trutl, 
shall be glory for ever and ever. — Amen. 



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